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WHERE ANIMALS TALK 

West African Folk Lore Tales 

By 

ROBERT H. NASSAU 

Author of "Fetichism in West Africa,'' 
''The Youngest King,'* etc. 




RICHARD G. BADGER 

THE GORHAM PRESS 
BOSTON 



Copyright 1912 by Richard G. Badger 
All rights 



^^^'^ 






The Gorham Press, Boston, U. S. A, 



©CI.A30925: 



PREFACE 

THE typical native African Ekano or legend is 
marked by repetition. The same incidents occur 
to a succession of individuals ; monotony being pre- 
vented by a variation in the conduct of those 
individuals, as they reveal their weakness or 
stupidity, artifice or treachery. 

Narrators, while preserving the original plot and characters 
of a Tale, vary it, and make it graphic by introducing objects 
known and familiar to their audience. These inconsistencies 
do not interfere with belief or offend the taste of a people 
with whom even the impossible is not a bar to faith; rather, 
the inconsistency sharpens their enjoyment of the story. 

Surprise must not be felt at the impossibility of some of the 
situations; e. g., the swallowing by an animal of his wife, 
baggage and household furniture, as a means of hiding them. 
The absurdity of such situations is one of the distinctive 
attractions to the minds of the excited listeners. 

Variations of the same Tale, as told in different Tribes, 
were inevitable among a people whose language was not 
written until within the last hundred years ; the Tales having 
been transmitted verbally, from generation to generation, 
for, probably, thousands of years. As to their antiquity, I 
believe these Tales to be of very ancient origin. No argu- 
ment must be taken against them because of the internal 
evidence of allusion to modern things, or implements, or 
customs of known modern date; e. g., "cannon," "tables," 
"steamships," cte., etc. Narrators constantly embellish 
by novel additions; e. g., where, in the original story, a 
character used a spear, the narrator may substitute a pistol. 
Almost all these Tales locate themselves in supposed pre- 
historic times, when Beasts and Human Beings are asserted 
to have lived together with social relations in the same 



4 PREFACE 

community. An unintended concession to the claims of 
some Evolutionists ! 

The most distinctive feature of these Tales is that, while 
the actors are Beasts, they are speaking and living as Human 
Beings, acting as a beast in human environment; and, in- 
stantly, in the same sentence, acting as a human being in a 
beast's environment. This must constantly be borne in 
mind, or the action of the story will become not only unrea- 
sonable but utterly inexplicable. 

The characters in the stories relieve themselves from 
difficult or dangerous situations by invoking the aid of a 
powerful personal fetish-charm known as "Ngalo"; a fetish 
almost as valuable as Aladdin's Lamp of the Arabian Nights. 
And yet, with inconsistency, notwithstanding this aid, the 
actors are often suffering from many small evils of daily 
human life. These inconsistencies are another feature of 
the Ekano that the listeners enjoy as the spice of the story. 

From internal evidences, I think that the local sources of 
these Tales were Arabian, or at least under Arabic, and 
perhaps even Egyptian, influences. (Observe the prefix, 
Ra, a contraction of Rera equals father, a title of honor, as 
"Lord," or "Sir," or "Master," in names of dignitaries; 
e. g. Ra-Marange, Ra-Mborakinda, Ra-Meses.) 

This is consistent with the fact that there is Arabic blood 
in the Bantu Negro. The invariable direction to which the 
southwest coast tribes point, as the source of their ancestors, 
is northeast. Such an ethnologist as Sir H. H. Johnston 
traces the Bantu stream southward on the east coast to the 
Cape of Good Hope, and then turns it northward on the 
west coast to the equator and as far as the fourth degree of 
north latitude, the very region from which I gathered these 
stories. 

Only a few men, and still fewer women, in any com- 
munity, are noted as skilled narrators. They are the literati. 

The public never weary of hearing the same Tales repeated; 
Hke our own civilized audiences at a play running for a 
hundred or more nights. They are made attractive by the 
dramatic use of gesture, tones, and startling exclamations. 

The occasions selected for the renditions are nights, after 
the day's works are done, especially if there be visitors to be 
entertained. The places chosen are the open village street. 



PREFACE 5 

or, in forest camps where almost all the population of a vil- 
lage go for a week's work on their cutting of new plantations; 
or for hunting; or for fishing in ponds. The time for these 
camps is in one of the two dry seasons: where the booths 
erected are not for protection against rain, but for a little 
privacy, for the warding off of insects, birds and small ani- 
mals, and for the drying of meats. At such times, most of 
the adults go off during the day for fishing ; or, if for hunting, 
only the men; the children being guarded at their plays in 
the camp by the older women, who are kept occupied with 
cooking, and with the drying of meats. At night, all gather 
around the camp-fire; and the Tales are told with, at inter- 
vals, accompaniment of drum; and parts of the plot are 
illustrated by an appropriate song, or by a short dance, the 
platform being only the earth, and the scenery the forest 
shadows and the moon or stars. 

The Bantu Language has very many dialects, having the 
same grammatical construction, but differing in their 
vocabulary. The name of the same animal therefore differs 
in the three typical Tribes mentioned in these Tales; e. g:. 
Leopard, in Mpongwe, equals Njega; in Benga, equals Nja; 
and in Fang, equals Nze. 



PRONUNCIATION 

In all the dialects of the Bantu language, consonants are 
pronounced, as in English; except that g is always hard. 

The vowels are pronounced as in the following English 
equivalent : — 

a as in father e. g., Kabala 

a as in awe e. g., Nja. 

e as in they e. g., Ekaga. 

e as in met e. g.y Njega. 

i as in machine e. g., Njina. 

o as in note e. g., Kombe. 

u as in rule e. g., Kuba. 

A before y is pronounced ai as a diphthong, e. g., Asaya. 
Close every syllable with a vowel, e. g., Ko-ngo. Where 
two or more consonants begin a syllable, a slight vowel 
sound may be presupposed, e. g., Ngweya, as if iNgweya. 

Ng has the nasal sound of ng in " finger, " as if fing-nger, 
(not as in "singer,") e. g., Mpo-ngwe. 



CONTENTS 

Part First 
Mpongwe Tribe 

TALE PAGE 

1 Do not Trust your Friend 13 

2 Leopard's Hunting-Camp 18 

3 Tests of Death: 1st Version 25 

2nd Version 27 

4 Tasks done for a Wife; and, The Giant Goat 30 

^ 5 A Tug-of-War 37 

6 Agenda: Rat's Play on a Name 41 

7 "Nuts are Eaten Because of Angangwe": A Pro- 

verb 49 

8 Who are Crocodile's Relatives? 53 

9 WTio is King of Birds? and, Why Chickens live 

with Mankind 54 

10 "Njiwo Died of Sleep:" A Proverb. 58 

11 Which is the Fattest: — Manatus, Hog, or Oyster? 60 

12 Why Mosquitoes Buzz 62 

13 Unkind Criticism 63 

14 The Suitors of Princess Gorilla 65 

15 Leopard of the Fine Skin 68 

16 Why the Plantain-Stalk Bears but One Bunch .... 76 



Part Second 
Benga Tribe 

1 Swine Talking 81 

2 Crocodile 82 

3 Origin of the Elephant 82 

4 Leopard's Marriage Journey 85 

7 



8 CONTENTS 

TALE PAGE 

5 Tortoise in a Race 95 

6 Goat's Tournament 99 

7 Why Goats Became Domestic 100 

8 Igwana's Forked Tongue . 103 

9 What Caused their Deaths? 106 

10 A Quarrel about Seniority 109 

11 The Magic Drum 113 

12 The Lies of Tortoise 121 

13 "Death Begins by Some One Person": A Proverb. . 126 

14 Tortoise and the Bojabi Tree 129 

15 The Suitors of Njambo's Daughter 134 

16 Tortoise, Dog, Leopard, and the Njabi Fruit 140 

17 A Journey for Salt 145 

18 A Plea for Mercy 149 

19 The Deceptions of Tortoise 153 

20 Leopard's Hunting Companions 159 

21 Is the Bat a Bird or a Beast? 163 

22 Dog, and his Human Speech, 1st Version 165 

2nd Version 168 

23 The Savior of the Animals 173 

24 Origin of the Ivory Trade, 1st Version 177 

2nd Version 184 

25 Dog and his False Friend Leopard 189 

26 A Trick for Vengeance 192 

27 Not My Fault! 195 

28 Do not Impose on the Weak 196 

29 Borrowed Clothes 198 

30 The Story of a Panic 200 

31 A Family Quarrel 201 

32 The Giant Goat 202 

33 The Fights of Mbuma-Tyetye; and, An Origin of 

Leopard 208 

34 A Snake's Skin Looks like a Snake 



Part Third 

Fang Tribe 

1 Candor 233 

2 Which is the Better Hunter, an Eagle or a Leopard? 234 



CONTENTS 9 

TALE PAGE 

3 A Lesson in Evolution 234 

4 Parrot Standing on One Leg 235 

5 A Question of Right of Inheritance . 237 

6 Tortoise Covers His Ignorance 238 

7 A Question as to Age 239 

8 Abundance: A Play on the Meaning of a Word. . . 240 

9 An Oath: With a Mental Reservation 242 

10 The Treachery of Tortoise 243 

11 A Chain of Circumstances 245 



PART FIRST 

Mpongwe 

FOREWORD 

The following sixteen Tales were narrated to me, many 
years ago, by two members of the Mpongwe tribe (one now 
dead) at the town of Libreville, Gaboon river, equatorial 
West Africa. Both of them were well-educated persons, a 
man and a woman. They chose legends that were current 
in their own tribe. They spoke in Mpongwe; and, in my 
English rendition, I have retained some of their native idioms. 
As far as I am aware none of these legends have ever been 
printed in English, excepting Tale 5, a version of which 
appeared in a British magazine from a writer in Kamerun, 
after I had heard it at Gaboon. Also, excepting Tale 14. 
It appeared, in another form, more than fifty years ago, in 
Rev. Dr. J. L. Wilson's "Western Africa." But my narra- 
tor was not aware of that, when he told it to me. 



11 



TALE 1 

Do Not Trust Your Friend 

Place 

Country of the Animals 

Persons 

Njega (Leopard) Nyare (Ox) 

Ntori (Wild Rat) Ngowa (Hog) 

Ra-Marange (Medicine Man) Nkambi (Antelope) 
Leopard's Wife; and others 

NOTE 

A story of the treachery of the Leopard as matched by the 
duplicity of the Rat. 

In pubhc mourning for the dead, it is the custom for the 
nearest relative or dearest friend to claim the privilege of 
sitting closest to the corpse, and nursing the head on his or 
her lap. 



At a time long ago, the Animals were living in the Forest 
together. Most of them were at peace with each other. 
But Leopard was discovered to be a bad person. All the 
other animals refused to be friendly with him. Also, Wild 
Rat, a small animal, was found out to be a deceiver. 

One day, Rat went to visit Leopard, who poHtely gave 
him a chair, and Rat sat down. "Mbolo!" "Ai, IVIbolo!" 
each saluted to the other. Leopard said to his visitor, 
"What's the news?" Rat replied, "Njega! news is bad. 

13 



14 WHERE ANIMALS TALK 

In all the villages I passed through, in coming today, your 
name is only ill-spoken of, people saying, 'Njega is bad! 
Njega is bad!' " 

Leopard replies, "Yes, you do not lie. People say truly 
that Njega is bad. But, look you, Ntori, I, Njega, am an 
evil one: but my badness comes from other animals. Be- 
cause, when I go out to visit, there is no one who salutes me. 
When anyone sees me, he flees with fear. But, for what 
does he fear me.^^ I have not vexed him. So, I pursue the 
one that fears me. I want to ask him, 'Why do you fear 
lae?' But, when I pursue it, it goes on fleeing more rapidly. 
So, I become angry, wrath rises in my heart, and if I overtake 
it, I kill it on the spot. One reason why I am bad is that. 
If the animals would speak to me properly, and did not flee 
from me, then, Ntori, I would not kill them. See! you, 
Ntori, have I seized you?" Rat rephed, "No." Then 
Leopard said, "Then, Ntori, come near to this table, that 
we may talk well. " 

Rat, because of his subtlety and caution, when he took the 
chair given him on his arrival, had placed it near the door. 

Leopard repeated, "Come near to the table." Rat 
excused himself, "Never mind; I am comfortable here; and 
I came here today to tell you that it is not well for a person 
to be without friends; and, I, Ntori, I say to you, let us be 
friends." Leopard said, "Very good!" 

But now, even after this compact of friendship, Rat told 
falsehoods about Leopard; who, not knowing this, often had 
conversations with him, and would confide to him all the 
thoughts of his heart. For example, Leopard would tell to 
Rat, "Tomorrow I am going to hunt Ngowa, and next day 
I will go to hunt Nkambi," or wh^^tever the animal was. 
And Rat, at night, would go to Hog or to Antelope or the 
other animal, and say, "Give me pay, and I will tell you a 
secret. " They would lay down to him his price. And then 
he would tell them, "Be careful tomorrow. I heard that 
Njega was coming to kill you. " The same night. Rat would 
secretly return to his own house, and lie down as if he had 
not been out. 

Then, next day, when Leopard would go out hunting, the 
Animals were prepared and full of caution, to watch his 
coming. There was none of them that he could find; they 



WHERE ANIMALS TALK 15 

were all hidden. Leopard thus often went to the forest, and 
came back empty-handed. There was no meat for him to 
eat, and he had to eat only leaves of the trees. He said to 
himself, "I will not sit down and look for explanation to 
come to me. I will myself find out the reason of this. For, I, 
Njega, I should eat flesh and drink blood; and here I have 
come down to eating the food of goats, grass and leaves. " 

So, in the morning. Leopard went to the great doctor 
Ra-Marange, and said, "I have come to you, I, Njegd. 
For these five or six months I have been unable to kill an 
animal. But, cause me to know the reason of this." Ra- 
Marange took his looking-glass and his harp, and struck the 
harp, and looked at the glass. Then he laughed aloud, 
"Ke, ke, ke— " 

Leopard asked, *' Ra-Marange, for what reason do you 
laugh.f^" He replied, '''I laugh, because this matter is a 
small affair. You, Njega, so big and strong, you do not 
know this little thing!" Leopard acknowledged, "Yes: I 
have not been able to find it out." Ra-Marange said, 
"Tell me the names of your friends." Leopard answered 
"I have no friends. Nkambi dislikes me, Nyare refuses me, 
Ngowa the same. Of all animals, none are friendly to me. " 
Ra-Marange said, "Not so; think exactly; think again." 
Leopard was silent and thought; and then said," Yes, truly, 
I have one friend, Ntori." The Doctor said, "But, look! 
If you find a friend, it is not well to tell him all the thoughts 
of your heart. If you tell him two or three, leave the rest. 
Do not tell him all. But, you, Njega, you consider that 
Ntori is your friend, and you show him all the thoughts of 
your heart. But, do you know the heart of Ntori, how it is 
inside.^ Look what he does! If you let him know that 
you are going next day to kill this and that, then he starts 
out at night, and goes to inform those animals, "So-and-so, 
said Njega; but, be you on your guard." Now, look! if you 
wish to be able to kill other animals, first kill Ntori. " Leo- 
pard was surprised, " Nga! (actually) Ntori lies to me? " Ra- 
Marange said, "Yes." 

So, Leopard returned to his town. And he sent a child to 
call Rat. Rat came. 

Leopard said, "Ntori! these days you have not come to 
see me. Where have you been.^^ " Rat replies, " I was sick. " 



16 WHERE ANIMALS TALK 

Leopard says, "I called you today to sit at my table to eat. " 
Rat excused himself, "Thanks! but the sickness is still in my 
body; I will not be able to eat. " And he went away. 

Whenever Rat visited or spoke to Leopard, he did not 
enter the house, but sat on a chair by the door. Leopard 
daily sent for him; he came; but constantly refrained from 
entering the house. 

Leopard says in his heart, "Ntori does not approach near to 
me, but sits by the door. How shall I catch him.?" Think- 
ing and thinking, he called his wife, and said, "I have found 
a plan by which to kill Ntori. Tomorrow, I will lie down 
in the street, and you cover my body with a cloth as corpses 
are covered. Wear an old ragged cloth, and take ashes and 
mark your body, as in mourning; and go you out on the 
road wailing, 'Njega is dead! Njega, the friend of Ntori is 
dead!' And, for Ntori, when he shall come as a friend to 
the mourning, put his chair by me, and say, 'Sit there near 
your friend.' When he sits on that chair, I will jump up 
and kill him there." His wife replies, "Very good!" 

Next morning, Leopard, lying down in the street, pretended 
that he was dead. His wife dressed herself in worn-out 
clothes, and smeared her face, and went clear on to Rat's 
village, wailing "Ah ! Njega is dead ! Ntori's friend is dead ! " 
Rat asked her, "But, Njega died of what disease.'' Yester- 
day, I saw him looking well, and today comes word that he 
is dead!" The wife answered, "Yes: Njega died without 
disease; just cut off! I wonder at the matter — I came to 
call you; for you were his friend. So, as is your duty as a 
man, go there and help bury the corpse in the jungle." 
Rat went, he and Leopard's wife together. And, behold, 
there was Leopard stretched out as a corpse! Rat asked 
the wife, "What is this matter.? Njega! is he really dead?" 
She replied, "Yes: I told you so. Here is a chair for you to 
sit near your friend. " 

Rat, having his caution, had not sat on the chair, but 
stood off, as he wailed, "Ah! Njega is dead! Ah! my friend 
is dead!" 

Rat called out, "Wife of Njega! Njega, he was a great 
person : but did he not tell you any sign by which it might be 
known, according to custom, that he was really dead.?" 
She replied, "No, he did not tell me." (Rat, when he thus 



WHERE ANIMALS TALK 17 

spoke, was deceiving the woman.) Rat went on to speak, 
"You, Njega, when you were living and we were friends, 
you told me in confidence, saying, 'When I, Njega, shall 
die, I will lift my arm upward, and you will know that I am 
really dead. ' But, let us cease the wailing and stop crying. 
I will try the test on Njega, whether he is dead! Lift your 
arm!" 

Leopard lifted his arm. Rat, in his heart, laughed, "Ah! 
Njega is not dead!" But, he proceeded, "Njega! Njega! you 
said, if really dead, you would shake your body. Shake! 
if it is so!" Leopard shook his whole body. Rat said 
openly, "Ah! Njega is dead indeed! He shook his body!" 
The wife said, "But, as you say he is dead, here is the chair 
for you, as chief friend, to sit on by him." Rat said, "Yes: 
wait for me; I will go off a little while, and will come." 
Leopard, lying on the ground, and hearing this, knew in his 
heart, "Ah! Ntori wants to flee from me! I will wait no 
longer!" Up he jumps to seize Rat, who, being too quick 
for him, fled away. Leopard pursued him with leaps and 
jumps so rapidly that he almost caught him. Rat got to his 
hole in the ground just in time to rush into it. But his 
tail was sticking out; and Leopard, looking down the hole, 
seized the tail. 

Rat called out, "You have not caught me, as you think! 
What you are holding is a rootlet of a tree." Leopard let 
go of the tail. Rat switched it in after him, and jeered at 
Leopard, "You had hold of my tail! And you have let it 
go! You will not catch me again!" Leopard, in a rage, 
said, "You will have to show me the way by which you will 
emerge from this hole; for, you will never come out of it 
alive!" 

Some narrators carry the story on, with the ending of Tale 
No. 6, the story of Rat, Leopard, Frog and Crab. 

Leopard's pretence of death appears also in Tale No. 3. 



18 WHERE ANIMALS TALK 

TALE 2 
Leopard's Hunting Camp 

Persons 

Ntori (A very large forest Rat) Njegd (Leopard) 

And other Animals 

NOTE .. 

Besides the words for "hunger" and " famine, " the Bantu 
languages have a third word meaning, "longing for meat." 
In this story. Leopard's greed is matched by the artifice of 
Rat : — It was a practice of African natives to hide their ivory 
tusks in streams of water until a time convenient for selling 
them. 

Polite natives will neither sit uninvited in the presence of 
their superiors, nor watch them while eating. If need be, 
to secure privacy, a temporary curtain will be put up, and 
the host will retire, leaving the guest alone. Rude or un- 
civilized tribes are offensive in their persistent effort to see a 
white foreigner's mode of eating. 

One of the tricks of native sorcerers is to jump into a fire. 



It was a time of ngwamba (meat-hunger) among the 
Animals in Njambi's Kingdom. 

Leopard, being the eldest in his tribe, said to Rat, "Ntori! 
child! this is a hard time for meat. I think we better go to 
the forest, and make a olako (camp) for hunting." Rat 
replied "Good! come on!" 

So they began to arrange for the journey. The prepara- 
tion of food, nets, baskets, and so forth, occupied several 
days. When all was ready, they started. Having come 
to a proper place in the forest, they selected a site where they 
would build up their booths. Leopard was to have his own 
separate camp with his wives and his children and his people; 
and Rat his, with his wives and his children, and his people. 

So they began to make two camps. Leopard said, "Ntori! 
child! I have mine here. You go there yonder." So they 



WHERE ANIMALS TALK 19 

built their booths for sleeping-places; and rested another 
day; and then built their arala (drying frames) over their 
fire-places for smoke-drying the meat that they hoped to 
obtain. Next day, they prepared their guns, and started 
out on the hunt. On that very first day, they met game, 
and, ku! (bang) went their guns, killing an Elephant, and, 
ku! a wild Ox. Then Leopard said, "Ntori! child! we are 
successful ! Let us begin the work of cutting up ! " 

After all the carcasses had been cut up, came the time to 
divide the meat between the two companies. So, Leopard 
said, "As I am your Uncle, I precede; I will choose first, and 
will give you the remainder." So Leopard chose, taking 
out all the best pieces. When Rat saw that most of the 
meat was going to Leopard's side, he thought it time to 
begin to get his share. But when Rat laid hold of a nice 
piece, Leopard would say, "No! child! do not take the best: 
that belongs to your Uncle" — and Leopard would claim 
the piece, and hand it over to his women. So it went on in 
the same way; to every nice piece that Rat chose. Leopard 
objected that it belonged to him. After Leopard had taken 
all he wanted, there were left only the bowels and the heads 
and legs for Rat. 

Then they each went to their own camping-place, to 
spread the meat on their arala, and to cook their dinner. 
But, all the while that Rat was spreading bones and bowels 
on his orala, he was vexed; for, there was very little meat on 
those bones; while Leopard's people's arala were full of meat, 
and savory portions w^ere simmering on their fires tied in 
bundles (agewu) of plantain leaves. At the noon meal. 
Leopard sat down with his family, and Rat with his. But 
Rat had only poor food; while Leopard and his people were 
rejoicing with rich meat. 

The second day was very much the same as the first. It 
was Rat who did most of the hunting. With him it was, 
ku! (bang!), and some beast was down; and, ku! and some 
other beast was down. Whenever Rat fired. Leopard would 
shout out, "Ntori! child! what have you got?" And it was 
Rat who would shout in reply, "Nyare" (ox), or "Njaku" 
(elephant), or "Nkambi!" (antelope), or whatever the game 
might be. And it was Leopard who offensively patronized 
him, saying, "That is a good boy, Tata! (Little Father); 



20 WHERE ANIMALS TALK 

bring it here to your Uncle. " Then Rat and all the servants 
would carry the carcass to Leopard. So that day, the cut- 
ting and dividing was just like the first day; Leopard claim- 
ing and taking the best, and leaving the skeleton and scraggy 
pieces and the bowels for Rat. 

After that second day's hunt, Rat was tired of this way of 
dividing, in which he got only the worthless pieces. So he 
decided to get back some of Leopard's meat by artifice, for 
his own table, even if he had to take it from Leopard's orala 
itself. He began to devise what he should do. As he was 
out walking, he came to a brook in which were sunken logs 
of hard heavy wood. They had lain there a long time, and 
were black with outside decay. With his machete in hand, 
he dived; and remaining under the water, he scraped the 
logs till he had removed the dark outside, and exposed the 
white inner wood. lie kept on at the job scraping and 
scraping until the logs appeared white like ivory. Then 
he went back to Leopard's camp, and, with pretence of 
excitement, exclaimed, ''Mwe Njega! I think we will be 
going to be rich, ^ou don't know what I've found! Such 
a big ivory-tusk hidden in the water! I think we better 
leave off hunting meat, and go to get this fine ivory. " Leo- 
pard replied, '* Good ! come on ! " 

The next day, they first arranged their fires so that the 
smoke-drying of their meat might continue during their 
absence; and then started for the ivory. They all prepared 
themselves, for diving, by taking off their good clothing, and 
wearing only a small loin-cloth. Their entire companies 
went, men, women, and children, leaving not a single person 
in the camps. 

Leopard says, "You, Ntori, go first, as you know where 
the place is." Rat says, "Good! come on!" And they 
went on their way. 

Arrived at the brook, Rat says, "You all come on, and 
dive." Leopard asks, "My son! is it still there.^^" Rat, 
pointing, answers, "Yes! my ivory is there." Leopard, 
looking down in the water says, "I see no ivory!" Rat, 
still pointing, replies, "There! Those white things! Don't 
you see them?" Leopard says, "I never saw ivory look hke 
logs." Rat answered, "No.^ But this is a new kind. I 
assure you they are ivory! I have been down there, and I 



WHERE ANIMALS TALK 21 

cleaned the mud off of them." Leopard was satisfied, and 
said, "Good! come on!" And they all dived. They laid 
hold of the supposed ivory, and pulled, and pushed, and 
lifted, and worked. But it was stuck fast, and they could 
not move it. 

While they were thus working. Rat suddenly cried out, 
"Njega! O! I forgot something! I must go quickly back to 
the olako. I will not be gone long. I shall return soon. " 

Rat came out of the brook; ran to the camp; took of his 
own bundles of bones and scraggy pieces, and put them on 
Leopard's drying-frames, and took the same number of 
bundles of good meat from Leopard's frames. Then he ran 
back to the brook, to continue the work at the so-called ivory. 

Soon after that, Rat says, "Mwe Njega! it is time to 
return to the olako; we have worked long; I am hungry." 
Leopard says, "Good! come on!" So they returned to the 
camp to eat. 

Rat says, "Njega! as I am so hungry, I will not wait with 
you, but will go to my own olako at once. And I will put 
up a curtain between us, as it is a shame for one to eat in the 
presence of his elder. " 

So Rat put up a curtain; and opened a bundle of nice meat; 
and he and his people began to eat. 

When Leopard took down one of his bundles, and opened 
it to share with his women, he was amazed, and said, "See! 
only bones and mean pieces! Ah! what is this matter!" 
And he called out to the other camp, "Ntori! Tata!" Rat 
responds, "Eh! Mwe Njega?" Leopard inquires, "What 
kind of meat are you eating.^" Rat answers, "My own, 
from my own bundles. But what kind have you, Mwe 
Njega?" Leopard says, "My women prepared meat that 
was nice; but now I have only bones. I am surprised at 
that." 

The next, the fourth day, Rat said to Leopard, "I think 
we better change from the hard work on the ivory. Let us 
go hunting today; and tomorrow we will resume the ivory." 
Leopard assented "Good! come on!" And they started out 
to hunt. They were successful again as on the previous days. 
At the time of the division of the meat, Rat showed no dis- 
pleasure at Leopard's taking the best pieces; as he had now 
his own artifice to get them back. And the meats of the day 



22 WHERE ANIMALS TALK 

were placed on their owners' respective drying-frames. 
By this day's doings, many of Leopard's baskets were full, 
ready to be taken to town, while most of Rat's were still 
empty. 

On the fifth day, they went to the brook again, to their 
fruitless work of pulling at the so-called ivory. The same 
things happened as before; Rat remembers that he has 
forgotten something; has to go in haste to the camp; rapidly 
changes the bundles on his and Leopard's frames; returns 
to the brook; they all come back to the camp to eat; and 
there were repeated Leopard's surprise, and his questions 
to Rat about the kinds of meat they were eating. Thus 
they continued; on alternate days hunting, and working at 
the ivory that was stuck immovably fast in the mud; and 
Rat stealing; and Leopard complaining. 

Finally, Leopard became tired of his losses; and, one day, 
without letting anyone know what he intended doing, he 
said, "I will take a little walk." Rat says, "You go alone? 
May I accompany you.?" Leopard said, "No! I go alone; 
I won't be long away; and I do not go far. " 

So Leopard went to the wizard Ra-Marange, whom as 
soon as he saw him, exclaimed, "What are you come for.^^ 
Are you in trouble.?" Leopard told him the matter of the 
losses of the meat. Then Ra-Marange jumped into his 
fire, and emerged powerful and wise. And he said, "I 
will make for you something that will find out for you who 
it is that takes your meat. " 

So Ra-Marange made a little image of a man, and con- 
ferred on it wisdom and power, and gave it to Leopard, 
who took it to his camp, and hid it in his hut. 

The next day they all resumed the work at the brook, 
with the ivory. There was the same diving, the same fruit- 
less pulling, Rat's same need of going back to the camp, and 
his same attempts at stealing. While he was doing this, he 
sees something hke a little man standing near him. Rat 
puts out his hand to take from Leopard's bundles as usual, 
and the image catches him by the wrist of that hand. Rat 
indignantly says, "You! this little fool! leave me! What 
do you catch me for.?" But the image was silent; nor did 
it let go its hold. So Rat struck at it with his other hand. 
And the image caught that hand with its other hand. Then 



WHERE ANIMALS TALK 23 

Rat was angry and kicked with one foot at a leg of the 
image. And that foot was retained by that leg of the image. 
Rat kicked with his remaining foot; it also was retained by 
the image's other leg. He was thus held in the power of 
the image. 

Rat, in desperation, said, "Let me go!" The image 
spoke, and simply said, "No!" Rat felt he was in a bad 
situation; but he put on a bold face. He knew that, by his 
long delay, the others must have given up the work at the 
brook, and would by now be returning to the camp ; and, in a 
little while, he would be discovered. To forestall that dis- 
covery, he shouted out, "Mwe Nejga, come quickly! I've 
found the person who changes your bundles!" Leopard, 
on the path, heard his voice, and replied, "My child, is that 
so.^ Hold him fast!" Rat still daringly said, "Come 
quickly! He wants to get away from my grasp ! " Leopard 
replied, " Hold fast ! I am coming ! " They all came hastily, 
both of Rat's people, and of Leopard's people; and there 
they saw Rat held fast by the hands and legs of the image. 
Leopard asked, "Where is he?" Rat, daring to the last, 
said, "This little man here that I am holding. " Leopard 
said, "Now that I am here, let go of him, for I will take 
charge of him." Rat struggled, but in vain. Leopard 
several times repeated his direction to Rat, "Let go of him!" 
But Rat was utterly unable to withdraw his limbs from the 
power of the image. And he gave up the effort, in shame. 
Then Leopard had to help release Rat; the conferred power 
of the image being subservient to him. He did not strike 
Rat, he being his relative. But rebuked him, "Ah! Ntori! 
now I know it was you who made all the trouble about my 
meat!" And he took back all his fine bundles, and 
returned Rat his poor bundles. Rat went to his own 
camp ashamed, but still angry at the unjust division of 
the meat. 

As Leopard's baskets were now full, he announced that 
they should prepare to break camp, and return to town. 
Rat's women murmured, "Ah! all going away, and our 
baskets almost empty!" Rat comforted them, "Yes; it is 
so; but, we will find a way to fill them!" 

So, the next day, while the others were gone to get leaves 
and vines with which to tie up their baskets, Rat took his 



24 WHERE ANIMALS TALK 

empty ones to the brook and filled them with stones, and 
tied them up with leaves, as if they contained meat. 

On the following day, as they were about to start on their 
journey. Rat said to Leopard, "As you are the elder, go 
you first, and I will follow." Leopard said, "Good! come 
on!" And they went on the path, Rat keeping close behind 
Leopard's people. (Baskets being carried tied on the back 
with a strap over the forehead, the bearer leans heavily 
forward, and cannot see what is happening behind.) Rat 
had prepared a hook with a handle. From time to time, as 
they came to narrow places in the path where thorny branches 
met, he would strike the hook into some basket before him, 
and in pretence, would say, "Wait! a thorn on this branch 
has caught your basket! Let me unfasten it." While the 
carrier would stand still for Rat to release the branch, the 
latter seized the chance to take pieces of meat from the 
basket, and substitute stones from his own baskets. The 
way was long; and, at every obstructed place. Rat kept on 
at his pretence of helping to free some basket of Leopard's 
from the thorns that caught it, and changed pieces of good 
meat for his stones. 

Before they reached Leopard's town, darkness began to 
fall, and both companies were very tired, especially that of 
Leopard; for, their baskets seemed to have grown heavier. 
Rat said, "Njega! All this hard day's walk! Hide our 
baskets, yours in one place, and mine in another, and let 
us go on to town and sleep ; and we will send back our women 
for the baskets in the morning." Leopard assented, "Good! 
come on!" So they left their baskets, and all went to town. 

The next morning. Rat sent his people very, very early. 
Leopard sent his later, at the usual time of morning business. 
When his people were going they met Rat's people coming 
back with their loads, and exclaimed, "You are loaded al- 
ready ! " 

W^hen Leopard's people brought their baskets to the town, 
and opened them, they were amazed to find that they had 
little else than stones and bones. Leopard w^as very angry; 
and, going to Rat, he began to scold, "You have taken away 
my meat!" "No I have my own. Look! these baskets, 
you know them, they are mine! Perhaps some one stole 
your meat in the night and put the stones in place. But, 



WHERE ANIMALS TALK 25 

as you are in such a trouble, I will share with you of mine. " 
So he called to his women, "Give Njega a few pieces of meat." 
Leopard took the meat, and Rat and his people went away 
to their own town. 

But Leopard was not satisfied. He was sure that Rat 
had played him a trick. He had forgiven Rat his stealing 
at the camp; but, for this last trick, he meditated revenge. 



TALE 3 

Tests of Death — 1st Version 

Persons 

Njega (Leopard) Ntori (WHd-Rat) 

NOTE 

It is the proper and most friendly mode, that relatives and 
friends should hasten to visit their sick, on the very first 
information, without waiting to be invited or summoned. 



Leopard told his head-wife, "Ntori has taken our meat 
and deceived me in all these ways; I will kill him and eat 
him." 

So he pretended to be sick. 

The next day, news was sent to Rat that his Uncle Leopard 
was sick of a fever. 

The following day, word was again sent that he was very 
sick indeed, and that he wanted a parting word with Rat. 
Rat sent back a message, " I hear; and I wiU come tomorrow. " 

Rat suspected some evil, and did not believe that Leopard 
was sick. So he went to the forest, and collected all kinds 
of insects that sting, and tied them into five little bundles. 

Next day, word came to him, "Njega is dead." Rat 
went quickly, taking the five Httle bundles with him. 



26 WHERE ANIMALS TALK 

When he reached Leopard's town, he joined the crowd 
of mourners in the street, and Hfted up his voice in wailing. 
Leopard's head -wife went to him, and said, "Come into the 
house, and mourn with me, at your Uncle's bed-side." 
Rat went with her; but he did not take the seat that was 
offered him, as a near relative, at the supposed dead man's 
head. He first explained, "After a person is reported dead, 
it is proper to make five tests to prove whether he is really 
dead, before we bury him. " 

So he stood by the bed, at a point safe from Leopard's 
hands, and opened a bundle, and lifting the shroud, quickly 
laid the bundle on Leopard's naked body. The insects, 
infuriated by their imprisonment, flew out and attacked 
Leopard's body, as it was the object nearest to them, and 
they were confined under the shroud. Leopard endured, 
and did not move. 

Rat opened a second bundle, and thrust it also on another 
part of Leopard's body. Leopard could scarcely refrain 
from wincing. 

Rat opened a third, and laid it in the same way on another 
part. Leopard's face began to twitch with the torture. 
Rat opening a fourth, used it in the same way; and Leopard 
in pain began to twist his body; but, when Rat opened the 
fifth bundle. Leopard could endure the stings no longer. 
He started up from the bed, holding a dagger he had hidden 
under the bed-clothing. 

But Rat was too agile for him, and ran out before Leopard 
could fully rise from his supposed death-bed, and escaped to 
his own place. The mourners fled from the furious insects, 
and Leopard was left in agony under the poison of their stings. 



WHERE ANIMALS TALK 27 

TALE 3 

Tests of Death — Second Version 

Persons 

Njega (Leopard) Iheli (Gazelle) 

Ibaba (Jackal) Ekaga (Tortoise) 

With Ngomba (Porcupine) With Ndongo (Pepper) 

Nkambi (Antelope) Hako (Ants) 

Njagu (Elephant) And Nyoi (Bees) 

And Others 



note 

All of a neighborhood go to a mourning for a dead person. 
Failure to go would have been regarded, formerly, as a sign 
of a sense of guilt as the cause of the death. Formerly, at 
funerals, there was great destruction. Some of a man's 
wives and slaves were buried with him, with a large quantity 
of his goods; and his fruit trees adjacent to the houses were 
ruthlessly cut down. All, as signs of grief; as much as to 
say, "If the beloved dead cannot longer enjoy these things, 
no one else shall." 

The ancestor of the leopards never forgave the ancestor 
of the gazelles, but nursed his wrath at the trick which the 
latter had played on him with the insects. Unable to catch 
gazelles, because of their adroitness, the leopard wrecks his 
anger on all other beasts by killing them at any opportunity. 



These two beasts, Leopard and Jackal, were living together 
in the same town. Leopard said to Jackal, "My friend! 
I do not eat all sorts of food; I eat only animals." So, one 
day, Leopard went to search for some beast in the forest. 
He wandered many hours, but could not find any for his 
food. 

On another day, Leopard said to Jackal, "My friend! let 
us arrange some plan, by which we can kill some animal. 



28 WHERE ANIMALS TALK 

For, I Ve wandered into the forest again and again, and have 
found nothing." Leopard made these remarks to his friend 
in the dark of the evening. So they sat that night and 
planned and, after their conversation, they went to he down 
in their houses. And they slept their sleep. 

Then soon, the daylight broke. And Leopard, carrying 
out their plan, said to Jackal, "Take up your bedding, and 
put it out in the open air of the street." Jackal did so. 
Leopard laid down on that mattress, in accordance with their 
plan, and stretched out like a corpse lying still, as if he could 
not move a muscle. He said to Jackal, "Call Ngomba, 
and let him come to me." So Jackal shouted, "Come! 
Ngomba, come! That Beast that kills animals is dead! 
Come!" 

So Porcupine came to the mourning, weep^'ng, and wailing, 
as if he was really sorry for the death of his enemy. He 
approached near the supposed corpse. And he jeered at it. 
"This was the person who wasted us people; and this is his 
body!" Leopard heard this derision. Suddenly he leaped 
up. And Porcupine went down under his paw, dead. Then 
Leopard said to his friend Jackal, "Well! cut it up! and let 
us eat it. " And they finished eating it. 

On another day, Leopard, again in the street, stretched 
himself on the bedding. At his direction. Jackal called for 
Antelope. Antelope came; and Leopard killed him, as he 
had done to Porcupine. 

On another day. Ox was called. And Leopard did to Ox 
the same as he had done to the others. 

On another day. Elephant was called in the same way; 
and he died in the same way. 

In the same way. Leopard killed some of almost all the 
other beasts one after another, until there were left only two. 

Then Jackal said, "Njega! my friend! there are left, of all 
the beasts, only two, Iheli and Ekaga. But, what can 
you do with Iheli .^^ for, he has many artifices. What, also, 
can you do against Ekaga? for, he too, has many devices." 
Leopard replied, "I will do as I usually have done; so, to- 
morrow, I will lie down again, as if I were a corpse. " 

That day darkened into night. 

And another daylight broke. 



WHERE ANIMALS TALK 29 

And Leopard went out of the house to he down on the 
bedding in the street. Each Hmb was extended out as if 
dead; and his mouth open, with lower jaw fallen, like that 
of a dead person. 

Then Jackal called, "Iheli! come here! That person who 
wastes the lives of the beasts is dead! He's dead!" 

Gazelle said to himself, "I hear! So! Njega is dead.^ 
I go to the mourning ! " Gazelle lived in a town distant about 
three miles. He started on the journey, taking with him 
his spear and bag; but, he said to himself, "Before I go to 
the mourning, I will stop on the way at the town of 
Ekaga." 

He came to the town of Tortoise, and he said to him, 
*'Chum! have you heard the news? That person who kills 
Beasts and Mankind is dead!" But Tortoise answered, 
"No! go back to your town! that person is not dead. Go 
back!" Gazelle said, "No! For, before I go back to my 
town, I will first go to Njega's to see." So Tortoise said, 
"If you are determined to go there, I will tell you some- 
thing." Gazelle exclaimxcd, "Yes! Uncle, speak!" 

Then Tortoise directed him, "Take ndongo." Gazelle 
took some. Tortoise said, "Take also Hako, and take also 
Nyoi. Tie them all up in a bundle of plantain leaves." 
(He told Gazelle to do all these things, as a warning.) And 
Tortoise added, "You will find Njega with limbs stretched 
out like a corpse. Take a machete with you in your hands. 
When you arrive there, begin to cut down the plantain-stalks. 
And you must cry out 'Who killed my Uncle.'^ who killed my 
uncle .f^' If he does not move, then you sit down and watch 
him." 

So Gazelle went, journeyed and came to that town of 
mourning. He asked Jackal, "Ibaba! This person, how 
did he die?" Jackal replied, "Yesterday afternoon this 
person was seized with a fever; and today, he is a corpse." 
Gazelle looked at Leopard from a distance, his eyes fixed 
on him, even while he was slashing down the plantains, as he 
was told to do. But, Leopard made no sign, though he 
heard the noise of the plantain-stalk falling to the ground. 
Presently, Jackal said to Gazelle, "Go near to your Uncle's 
bed, and look at the corpse." 

Leopard began in his heart to arrange for a spring, being 



30 WHERE ANIMALS TALK 

ready to fight, and thinking, "TMiat time Iheli shall be near 
me, I will kill him. " 

Gazelle approached, but carefully stood off a rod distant 
from the body of Leopard. Then Gazelle drew the bundle 
of Ants out of his bag, and said to himself, "Is this person, 
really dead? I will test him!" But, Gazelle stood warily 
ready to flee at the slightest sign. He quickly opened the 
bundle of insects; and he joined the three, the Ants, the Bees, 
and the Pepper, all in one hand; and, standing with care, he 
threw them at Leopard. 

The bundle of leaves, as it struck Leopard, flew open. 
Being released, the Bees rejoiced, saying, " So ! I sting Njega ! " 
Pepper also was glad, saying, "So! I will make him perspire!" 
Ants also spitefully exclaimed, "I've bitten you!" 

The pain of all these made Leopard jump up in wrath; 
and he leaped toward Gazelle. But he dashed away into 
the forest, shouting as he disappeared, "I'm not an Iheli of 
the open prairie, but of the forest wilderness!" 

So, he fled and came to the town of Tortoise. There he 
told Tortoise, "You are justified! Njega indeed is not dead! 
He was only pretending, in order to kill. " 

And Tortoise, remarked, 'T am the doyen of Beasts. 
Being the eldest, if I tell any one a thing, he should not 
contradict me. " 



TALE 4 

Tasks Done for a Wife 

Place 

In Njambi's Kingdom 

Persons 

A Rich Merchant and his Nguvu (Hippopotamus) 

Daughter Ekaga (Tortoise) 

Njagu (Elephant) Mbodi (An Enormous Goat) 

Njega (Leopard) Servants, and Townspeople 
Njina (Gorilla) 



WHERE ANIMALS TALK 31 



NOTE 



The artifices of Tortoise compete with the stength of 
Leopard. The story of the Giant Goat is a separate Tale 
in No. 32, of Part Second. 



In the time when Mankind and all other Animals lived 
together, to all the Beasts the news came that there was a 
Merchant in a far country, who had a daughter, for whom 
he was seeking a marriage. And he had said, "I do not 
want money to be the dowry that shall be paid by a suitor 
for my daughter. But, whosoever shall do some difficult 
works, which I shall assign him, to him I will give her." 

All the Beasts were competing for the prize. 

First, Elephant went on that errand. The merchant 
said to him, "Do such-and-such tasks, and you shall have 
my daughter. More than that, I will give you wealth also. " 
Elephant went at the tasks, tried, and failed; and came back 
saying he could not succeed. 

Next, Gorilla stood up; he went. And the merchant told 
him, in the same way as to Elephant, that he was to do cer- 
tain tasks. Gorilla tried, and failed, and came back dis- 
gusted. 

Then, Hippopotamus advanced, and said he would at- 
tempt to win the w^oman. His companions encouraged him 
with hopes of success, because of his size and strength. 
He went, tried, and failed. 

Thus, almost all beasts attempted, one after another; 
they tried to do the tasks, and failed. 

At last there were left as contestants, only Leopard and 
Tortoise. Neither was disheartened by the failure of the 
others; each asserted that he would succeed in marrying 
that rich daughter. Tortoise said, "I'm going now!" But 
Leopard said, "No! I first!" Tortoise yielded, "Well, go; 
you are the elder. I will not compete with you. Go you, 
first!" Leopard went, and made his application. The 
merchant said to him, "Good! that you have come. But, 
the others came, and failed. Try you." Leopard said, 
"Very well." He tried, and failed, and went back angry. 



32 WHERE ANIMALS TALK 

Tortoise then went. He saluted the merchant, and told 
him he had come to take his daughter. The merchant said, 
"Do so; but try to do the tasks first." 

Tortoise tried all the tasks, and did them all. The first 
was that of a calabash dipper that was cracked. The mer- 
chant said to him, "You take this cracked calabash and 
bring it to me full of water all the way from the spring to 
this town." Tortoise looking and examining, objected, 
"This calabash! cracked! how can it carry water .^" The 
merchant replied, "You yourself must find out. If you 
succeed, you marry my daughter." 

Tortoise took the calabash to the spring. Putting it into 
the water, he lifted it. But the water all ran out before he 
had gone a few steps. Again he did this, five times; and 
the water was always running out. Sitting, he meditated, 
"What is this? How can it be done?" Thinking again, 
he said, "I'll do it! I know the art how!" He went to the 
forest, took gum of the Okume (mahogany tree) lighted a 
fire, melted the gum, smeared it over the crack, and made it 
water-tight; then, dipping the calabash into the spring, it 
did not leak. He took it full to the father-in-law, and called 
out, "Father-in-law! this is the calabash of water." The 
merchant asked, "But what did you do to it? " He answered 
"I mended it with gum." The father said, "Good for you! 
The others did not think of that easy simple solution. You 
have sense!" 

Tortoise then said, "I have finished this one task; today 
has passed. Tomorrow I will begin on the other four. " 

The next morning, he came to receive his direction from 
the merchant, who said, "Ekaga! you see that tall tree far 
away? At the top are fruits. If you want my daughter, 
pluck the fruits from the top, and you shall marry her.' ' 

Tortoise went and stood watching and looking and examin- 
ing the tree. Its trunk was all covered with soap, and im- 
possible to be climbed. He returned to the merchant, and 
asked, "That fruit you wish, may it be obtained in any way, 
even if one does not climb the tree?" He was answered, 
"Yes, in any way, except cutting down the tree. Only so 
that I get the fruit, I am satisfied. " 

Tortoise had already tried from morning to afternoon to 
climb that tree, but could not. So, after he had asked the 



WHERE ANIMALS TALK 33 

merchant his question, he went back to the tree; and from 
evening, all night and until morning, he. dug about the roots 
till they were all free. And the tree fell, without his having 
" cut " the trunk at all. So he took the fruit to the Merchant, 
and told him that he had not "cut down" the tree, but that 
he had it "dug up." The merchant said, "You have done 
well. People who came before you failed to think of that. 
Good for you!" 

On the third day, the merchant said to the spectators, "I 
will not name the other three tasks. You, my assistants, 
may name them." So they thought of one task after 
another. But one and another said, "No, that is not hard; 
let us search for a harder." Finally, they found three hard 
tasks. Tortoise was ready for and accomplished them all. 

Then the merchant announced, "Now, you may marry 
my daughter; and tomorrow you shall make your journey." 
They made a great feast; an ox was killed; and they had 
songs and music all night, clear on till morning. 

But, while all this was going on, Leopard, who was left at 
his town, was saying to himself, "This Ekaga! He has 
stayed five days! Had he failed, he would not have stayed 
so long! So! he has been able to do the tasks! Is that a 
good thing?" (On the day that Tortoise started on the 
journey to seek the merchant's daughter. Leopard had been 
heard to say, "If Ekaga succeeds in getting that wife, I will 
take her from him by force. ") 

When Tortoise was ready to start on his return journey 
with his wife, the father-in-law gave him very many things, 
slaves and goats and a variety of goods, and said, "Go, you 
and your wife and these things. I send people to escort 
you part of the way. They are not to go clear on to your 
town, but are to turn back on the way. " 

Tortoise and company journeyed. When the escort were 
about to turn back, Tortoise said, "Day is past. Make an 
olako (camp) here. We sleep here; and, in the morning, 
you shall go back." That night he thought, "Njega said 
he would rob me of my wife. Perhaps he may come to meet 
me on the way!" So, he swallowed all of the things, to hide 
them, — wife, servants, and all. 

WTiile Tortoise was thus on the way, Leopard had planned 
not to wait his return to town, but had set out to meet him. 



34 WHERE ANIMALS TALK 

So, in the morning, the two, journeying in opposite directions, 
met. Tortoise gave Leopard a respectful "Mbolo!" and 
Leopard returned the salutation. Leopard asked, "What 
news.^ That woman, have you married her?" Tortoise 
answered, "That woman ! Not at all ! " Leopard looking at 
Tortoise's style and manner as of one proud of success, said, 
"Surely you have married; for you look happy, and show 
signs of success. " But Tortoise swore he had not married. 

Leopard only said, "Good." Then Tortoise asked, 
"But, where are you going .^" Leopard answered, "I am 
going out walking and hunting. But you, where are you 
going?" Tortoise replied, "I did not succeed in marrying 
the woman; so I am going back to town. I tried, but I 
failed." ^^ 

"But," said Leopard, "what then makes your belly so 
big?" Tortoise rephed, "On the way I found an abundance 
of mushrooms, and I ate heartily of them. If you do not 
believe it, I can show you them by vomiting them up." 
Leopard said, " Never mind to vomit. Go on your journey. " 

And Leopard went on his way. But, soon he thought, 
"Ah! Ekaga has lied to me!" So he ran around back, and 
came forward to meet Tortoise again. 

Tortoise looked and saw Leopard coming, and observed 
that his face was full of wrath. He feared, but said to him- 
self, "If I flee, Njega will catch me. I will go forward and 
try artifice." As he approached Leopard, the latter was 
very angry, and said, "You play with me! You say you 
have not married the woman I wanted. Tell me the truth!" 
Tortoise again swore an oath, "No! I have not married the 
woman! I told you I ate mushrooms, and offered to show 
you; and you refused." So Leopard said, "Well, then, 
vomit." Tortoise bent over, and vomited and vomited 
mushrooms and mushrooms; and then said triumphantly, 
"So! Njega you see!" Leopard looked, and said, "But, 
Ekaga, your belly is still full,— go on vomiting." Tortoise 
tried to excuse himself, "I have done vomiting." Leopard 
persisted, "No! keep on at it." Tortoise went on retching; 
and a box of goods fell out of his mouth. Leopard still said, 
"Go on!" and Tortoise vomited in succession a table and 
other furniture. He was compelled to go on retching; and 
slaves came out. And at last, up was vomited the woman! 



WHERE ANIMALS TALK 35 

Leopard shouted, "Ah! Ekaga! you hed! You said you 
had not married! I will take this woman!" And he took 
her, sarcastically saying, "Ekaga, you have done me a good 
work! You have brought me all these things, these goods, 
and slaves, and a wife ! Thank you ! " 

Tortoise thought to himself, "I have no strength for war." 
So, though anger was in his heart, he showed no displeasure 
in his face. And they all went on together toward their 
town. With wrath still in his heart, he went clear on to the 
town, and then made his complaint to each of the towns- 
people. But they all were afraid of Leopard, and said 
nothing, nor dared to give Tortoise even sympathy. 

There was in that country among the mountains, an 
enormous Goat. The other beasts, all except Leopard, were 
accustomed to go to that Goat, when hungry, and say, "We 
have no meat to eat." And the Goat allowed them to cut 
pieces of flesh from his body. He could let any part of the 
interior of his body be taken except his heart. All the 
Animals had agreed among themselves not to tell Leopard 
where they got their meat, lest he, in his greediness, would 
go and take the heart. So they had told him they got their 
meat as he did, hunting. 

Tortoise, angry because Leopard has taken his wife, said 
to himself, "I will make a cause of complaint against Njega 
that shall bring punishment upon him from our King. I 
will cause Njega to kill that Goat." On another day, 
Tortoise went and got meat from the Goat, and came back 
to town, and did not hide it from Leopard. Leopard said to 
him, "Ekaga! where did you get this meat.?" Tortoise 
whispered, "Come to my house, and I w^ill tell you." They 
went. And Tortoise divided the meat with him, and said, 
"Do not tell on me: but, we get the meat off at a great Goat. 
Tomorrow, I go; and you, follow behind me." 

So, the next day, they went, Tortoise as if by himself, and 
Leopard following, off to the great Goat. Arrived there, 
Leopard wondered at the sight, "O! this great Goat! But, 
from where do you take its meat.^^" Tortoise replied, "Wait 
for me! You will see!" He went, and Leopard followed. 
Tortoise said to the Goat, "We have meat-hunger: we come 
to seek meat from you." The Goat's mouth was open as 
usual; Tortoise entered, and Leopard followed, to get flesh 



36 WHERE ANIMALS TALK 

from inside. In the Goat's interior was a house, full of meat; 
and they entered it. Leopard wondered at its size; and 
Tortoise told him, *'Cut where you please, but not from the 
heart, lest the Goat die. " And they began to take meat. 
Leopard, with greediness, coveting the forbidden heart, 
went with knife near to it. 

Tortoise exclaimed, "There! there! be careful." But 
Leopard, though he had enough other flesh, longed for the 
heart, and was not satisfied. He again approached with the 
knife near it: and Tortoise warned and protested. These 
very prohibitions caused Leopard to have his own way, and 
his greediness overcame him. He cut the heart: and the 
Goat fell dying. 

Tortoise exclaimed, "Eh! Njega! I told you not to touch 
the heart! Because of this matter I will inform on you." 
And he added, " Since it is so, let us go, " 

But Leopard said, "Goat's mouth is shut. How shall we 
get out? Let us hide in this house." And he asked, 
" Where will you hide? " Tortoise replied, "In the stomach. " 
Leopard said, "Stomach! It is the very thing for me, 
Njega, myself!" So Ekaga consented, "Well! take it! I will 
hide in the gall-bladder." So they hid, each in his place. 

Soon, as they listened, they heard voices shouting, "The 
Goat is dead! A fearful thing! The Goat is dead!" 

That news spread, and all who had been accustomed to get 
flesh there, came to see what was the matter. They all said 
that, as the Goat was dead, it was best to cut and divide him. 
They slit open the belly, and said, "Lay aside this big stom- 
ach; it is good; but throw away the bitter gall-sac." They 
looked for the heart; but there was none! A child, to whom 
had been handed the gall-bladder to throw it away, was 
flinging it into some bushes. As he did so, out jumped 
something from among the bushes; and the child asked, 
"Who are you? " The thing replied, pretending to be vexed, 
"I am Ekaga; I come here with the others to get meat, and 
you, just as I arrived, throw that dirty thing in my face!" 
The other people pacified him, "Do not get angry. Excuse 
the child. He did not see you. You shall have your share. " 

Then Tortoise called out, "Silence! silence! silence!" 

They all stood ready to listen, and he said, "Do not cut 
up the Goat till we first know who killed it. That stomach 



WHERE ANIMALS TALK 37 

there! What makes it so big?" Leopard, in the stomach, 
heard; but he did not beheve that Tortoise meant it, and 
thought to himself, "What a fool is this Ekaga, in pretend- 
ing to inform on me, by directing attention to the stomach!" 
Tortoise ordered, "All you, take your spears, and stick that 
stomach! For the one who killed Goat is in it!" And 
they all got their spears ready. 

Leopard did not speak or move; for, he still thought 
Tortoise was only joking. Tortoise began with his spear, 
and the others all thrust in. And Leopard holding the heart, 
was seen dying! All shouted, "Ah! Njega killed our Goat! 
Ah! he's the one who killed it." Tortoise taunted Leopard, 
"Asai! (shame for you) you took my wife; and now you are 
dead!" Leopard died. They divided the Goat, and re- 
turned to town. Tortoise took again his wife and all his 
goods, now that Leopard was dead. And he was satisfied 
that his artifice had surpassed Leopard's strength. 



TALE 5 

A Tug-of-War 

Persons 



Ekaga (Tortoise) Ngubu (Hippopotamus) 

Njagu (Elephant) 

NOTE 

African natives are sensitive about questions of equality 
and seniority. A certain term, "Mwera" (chum) may be 
addressed to other than an equal, only at risk of a quarrel. 

A story of the trick by which Tortoise apparently proved 
himself the equal of both Elephant and Hippopotamus. 

Observe the preposterous size of Elephant's trunk! But 
everything, to the native African mind, was enormous in the 
pre-historic times. 



S8 WHERE ANIMALS TALK 

Leopard was dead, after the accusation against him by 
Tortoise for killing the great Goat. The children of Leopard 
were still young; they had not grown to take their father's 
power and place. And Tortoise considered himself now a 
great personage. He said to people, "We three who are 
left, — I and Njagu and Ngubu, are of equal power; we eat at 
the same table, and have the same authority." Every day 
he made these boasts; and people went to Elephant and 
Hippopotamus, reporting, "So-and-so says Ekaga. " Ele- 
phant and Hippopotamus laughed, and disregarded the 
report, and said, "That's nothing, he's only to be 
despised. " 

One day Hippopotamus met Elephant in the forest; 
salutations were made, "Mbolo!" "Ai, mbolo!" each to 
the other. Hippopotamus asked Elephant about a new 
boast that Tortoise had been making, "Have you, or have 
you not heard.f^" Elephant answered, "Yes, I have heard. 
But I look on it with contempt. For, I am Njagu. I am 
big. My foot is as big as Ekaga's body. And he says he is 
equal to me ! But, I have not spoken of the matter, and will 
not speak, unless I hear Ekaga himself make his boast. And 
then I shall know what I will do." And Hippopotamus also 
said, "I am doing so too, in silence. I wait to hear Ekaga 
myself." 

Tortoise heard of what Elephant and Hippopotamus had 
been threatening, and he asked his informant just the exact 
words that they had used, "They said that they waited to 
hear you dare to speak to them; and that, in the meanwhile, 
they despised you. " 

Tortoise asked, "So! they despise me, do they?" "Yes," 
was the reply. Then he said, " So ! indeed, I will go to them. " 
He told his wife, "Give me my coat to cover my body." 
He dressed; and started to the forest. He found Elephant 
lying down; his trunk was eight miles long; his ears as big as 
a house, and his four feet beyond measure. 

Tortoise audaciously called to him, "Mwera! I have 
come! You don't rise to salute me? Mwera has come!" 
Elephant looked, rose up and stared at Tortoise, and in- 
dignantly asked, "Ekaga! whom do you call 'Mwera'? 
Tortoise replied, "You! I call you 'Mwera.' Are you not, 
Njagu?" Elephant, with great wrath, asked, "Ekaga! I 



WHERE ANIMALS TALK 39 

have heard you said certain words. It is true that you 
said them?" 

Tortoise answered, "Njagu, don't get angry! Wait, let 
us first have a conversation." Then he said to Elephant, 
"I did call you, just now, 'Mwera'; but, you, Njagu, why 
do you condemn me? You think that, because you are of 
great expanse of flesh, you can surpass Ekaga, just because 
I am small? Let us have a test. Tomorrow, sometime in 
the morning, we will have a lurelure (tug-of-war) . " Said 
Elephant, "Of what use? I can mash you with one foot." 
Tortoise said, "Be patient. At least try the test." So, 
Elephant, unwilling, consented. Tortoise added, " But, when 
we tug, if one overpulls the other, he shall be considered 
the greater; but, if neither, then we are Mwera." 

Then Tortoise went to the forest, and cut a very long vine , 
and coming back to Elephant, said "This end is yours. I 
go off into the forest with my end to a certain spot, and 
tomorrow I return to that spot; and we will have our tug, 
and neither of us will stop, to eat or sleep until either you 
pull me over or the vine breaks." Tortoise went far off 
with his end of the vine to the town of Hippopotamus, and 
hid the vine's end at the outskirts of the town. He went to 
Hippopotamus and found him bathing, and going ashore, 
back and forth, to and from the water. Tortoise shouted 
to him, "Mwera! I have come! You! Come ashore! I am 
visiting you!" Hippopotamus came bellowing in great 
wrath with wide open jaws, ready to fight, and said, "I will 
fight you today! For, whom do you call 'Mwera'?" 

Tortoise replied, "Why! you! I do not fear your size. 
Our hearts are the same. But, don't fight yet! Let us first 
talk." Hippopotamus grunted, and sat down; and Tortoise 
said, "I, Ekaga, I say that you and I and Njagu are equal, 
we are Mwera. Even though you are great and I small, I 
don't care. But if you doubt me, let us have a trial. To- 
morrow morning let us have a lurelure. He who shall over- 
come, shall be the superior. But, if neither is found superior, 
then we are equals." Hippopotamus exclaimed that the 
plan was absurd; but, finally he consented. 

Tortoise then stood up, and went out, and got his end of 
the vine, and brought it to Hippopotamus, and said, "This 
end is yours. And I now go. Tomorrow, when you feel 



40 WHERE ANIMALS TALK 

the vine shaken, know that I am ready at the other end; 
and then you begin, and we will not stop to eat or sleep until 
this test is ended. " 

Hippopotamus then went to the forest to gather leaves 
of Medicine with which to strengthen his body. And Ele- 
phant, at the other end, was doing the same, making medicine 
to give himself strength; and at night they were both asleep. 

In the morning, Tortoise went to the middle of the vine, 
where at its half-way, he had made on the ground a mark; 
and he shook it towards one end, and then towards the other. 
Elephant caught his end, as he saw it shake, and Hippopota- 
mus did the same at his end. "Orindi went back and forth" 
(a proverb of a fish of that name that swims in that way), 
Elephant and Hippopotamus alternately pulling. "Nke- 
ndinli was born of his father and mother" (a proverb, meaning 
distinctions in individualities). Each one. Hippopotamus 
and Elephant, doing in his own way. Tortoise smiled at his 
arrangement with each, that, in the tug, if one overcame, 
it would be proved by his dragging the other; but, if neither 
overcame, they were not to cease, until the vine broke. 

Elephant holding the vine taut, and Hippopotamus also 
holding it taut, Tortoise was laughing in his heart as he 
watched the quivering vine. 

He went away to seek for food, leaving those two at their 
tug, in hunger. He went off into the forest and found his 
usual food, mushrooms. He at-e his belly full, and then took 
his drink; and then went to his town to sleep. 

He rose in late afternoon, and said to himself, " I '11 go and 
see about the tug, whether those fools are still pulling." 
When he went there, the vine was still stretched taut ; and he 
thought, "Asai! shame! let them die with hunger!" He 
sat there, the vine trembling with tensity, and he in his 
heart mocking the two tired beasts. The one drew the other 
toward himself; and then, a slight gain brought the mark 
back; but neither was overcoming. 

At last Tortoise nicked the vine with his knife; the vine 
parted; and, at their ends. Elephant and Hippopotamus fell 
violently back onto the ground. Tortoise said to himself, 
"So! that's done! Now I go to Elephant with one end of 
the broken vine; tomorrow to Hippopotamus." He went, 
and came on to Elephant, and found him looking dolefully, 



WHERE ANIMALS TALK 41 

and bathing his leg with medicine, and said, "Mwera! How 
do you feel? Do you consent that we are Mwera?" Ele- 
phant admitted, "Ekaga, I did not know you were so strong! 
When the vine broke, I fell over and hurt my leg. Yes, we 
are really equal. Really! strength is not because the body 
is large. I despised you because your body was small. 
But actually, we are equal in strength!" 

So they ate and drank and played as chums; and Tortoise 
returned to his town. 

Early the next morning, with the other end of the broken 
vine, he went to visit Hippopotamus, who looked sick, and 
was rubbing his head, and asked, "Ngubu! How do you feel, 
Mwera?" Hippopotamus answered, "Really! Ekaga! so 
we are equals! I, Ngubu, so great! And you, Ekaga, so 
small ! We pulled and pulled. I could not surpass you, nor 
you me. And when the vine broke, I fell and hurt my head. 
So, indeed strength has no greatness of body." Tortoise 
and Hippopotamus ate and drank and played; and Tortoise 
returned to his town. 

After that, whenever they three and others met to talk 
in palaver (council) the three sat together on the highest 
seats. Were they equal? Yes, they were equal. 



TALE 6 

Agenda: Rat's Play on a Name 

Persons 

Njega (Leopard) Rangi (Frog) 

Ntori (Rat) Igamba (Crab) 

NOTE 

In native African etiquette, a company of persons is saluted 
with the use of the verb in the plural; but only the oldest, or 
the supposed leader, if his name is known, is mentioned by 
name. 



42 WHERE ANIMALS TALK 

The native custom among polite tribes, is to leave a guest 
to eat without being watched. 

The twitching of a muscle of an arm, or any other part of 
the body (called okalimambo) is regarded as a sign of coming 
evil. Compare Macbeth, Act 4, Scene 1. 
"By the pricking of my thumb 
Something wicked this way comes." 

The absurd and the unreasonable {e. g., the swallowing 
of a wife, goats, servants, etc.) are a constant feature of the 
native legends in their use of the impossible. 

All native Africans have more than one name, and often 
change their names to suit circumstances. But, while all 
their names have a meaning (just as our English names, 
"Augustus," "Clara," etc.) those meanings are not thought 
of when denominating an individual; e. g., "Bwalo" which 
means canoe. 

Leopards do not like to wet their feet. 



Leopard wanted a new wife. So he sought for a young 
woman of a far country, of whom he heard as a nice girl, 
a daughter of one of the Kings of that country. He did not 
go himself, but sent word, and received answer by messenger. 
Neither the woman nor her father had ever seen Leopard. 
They knew of him only by reputation. 

The King was pleased with the proposed alliance, and 
assented, saying, "Yes! I am willing. Go! get yourself ready, 
and come with your marriage company." So Leopard went 
around and invited many other beasts, "Come! and help me 
get a new one!" They all replied, "Yes!" And they all 
started together for the King's town. 

When they had gone half-way, one of their number, a big 
forest Rat said, "Brothers! let us begin here to change our 
names, so that when we get to the town, we shall not be 
known by our usual names." But Leopard refused, "No! 
I won't! I stick by my old name. My name is Njega. " 
All the others said the same, and retained their own names. 

But Rat insisted for himself, "I will not be called Ntori. 
I will be called 'Strangers.' My name is Agenda, " (the plural 
of ogenda which means "stranger"). 



WHERE ANIMALS TALK 43 

When they approached the town, the inhabitants, with 
great poHteness, ran out to welcome them, shouting," Agenda! 
Saleni, Saleni!" (Strangers! Welcome ye! welcome ye!) 
Rat turned to the company and said, "Hear that! you see 
they are saluting me as the leader of this company." 

Upon their entering the town, they were shown to the 
large public Reception-House; and the people said to them, 
"Now! strangers (Agenda!), march in!" Rat turned again 
to his companions, and said, "You see! they have again 
addressed me specially by name, asking me to take possession 
of this room. " 

They all went in feeling uncomfortably; but Rat said to 
them, "Never mind! though this room was evidently pre- 
pared specially for me, I am not selfish, and I invite you to 
share it with me." 

After the visitors had all been seated, the people came to 
give them the formal final salutation, saying "Strangers 
(Agenda), mbolani! (long life to ye)." Rat promptly 
whispered to his companions, saying, "This mbolo is to me 
for you, I alone will respond to it," So, only he replied, 
"Ai Mbolani! Ai. " (Mbolani is the second person plural 
of the irregular defective verb Mbolo equal to "livelong.") 

The day passed. In the evening, the people brought in an 
abundant supply of food, and set it down on the table, say- 
ing, "Strangers (Agenda!), eat! Here is your food!" And 
they went out, closing the door, so that the guests in their 
eating should not be annoyed by spectators. Then Rat 
said, "You see! All this food is mine, though I am not able 
to eat it all. " He alone began to eat of it. When he had 
satisfied his appetite, he said, "Truly this food is my own, 
but I am sorry for you, and I will give you of it. " So he 
gave out to each, one by one, very small pieces of fish and 
plantain. 

In the morning, the people thoughtfully sent water for the 
usual morning washing of hands and face. Rat hasted to 
open the door; and the slaves carrying the vessels of water, 
said to him, "These are sent to the strangers (Agenda)." 
So Rat took the water and used it all for himself. 

This second day was a repetition of the first. The towns- 
people continued their hospitality, sending food and drink 
and tobacco and fruits; and making many kind inquiries of 



44 WHERE ANIMALS TALK 

what "the Agenda'* would hke to have. Rat, received all 
these things as for himself; while the rest of the company 
felt themselves slighted, and were hungry and disgusted. 

On the third day, the company said among themselves, 
"Njega told us that our visit was to last the usual five days; 
but we cannot stand such treatment as this!" And they 
began to run away, one by one. Even Leopard himself 
followed them, provoked at his expected father-in-law's 
supposed neglect of him. But, before Leopard had gone. 
Rat went to the bride elect, and said, "I never saw such a 
party as this ! They do not eat, and are not willing to await 
the Marriage Dance for the Bride on the fifth day." 

When they were all secretly gone, leaving Rat alone, he 
said to the woman, " I will tell them all to go, even my friend 
Njega whom I brought to escort me. But I will not go 
without you, even if we have not had the dance; for, I am 
the one who was to marry you. " And the father of the girl 
said to Rat, "Since they have treated you so, never m:nd 
to call them again for the Dance. You just take your wife 
and go. " 

So the King gave his daughter farewell presents of boxes of 
clothing, and two female servants to help her, and a number 
of goats, and men-servants to carry the baggage. 

Rat and wife and attendants set out on their journey. 
When they were far away from the King's town, Rat ex- 
claimed, "I feel okalimambo (premonition)." (He sus- 
pected that Leopard was somewhere near.) So he dismissed 
the men-servants, and sent them back to the King. And 
then quickly, in order to hide them, he swallowed the woman 
and the two maid-servants and all the boxes of clothing, and 
the goats. 

Rat then went on, and on, and on, with his journey, 
until at a cross-roads, he saw Leopard coming cross-ways 
toward him; and he called out, "Who are you?" The 
reply came, " I am Njega. And who are you.^ " Rat answer- 
ed, "Ntori." 

Then Leopard called to him, *'Come here!" "No!" 
said Rat, "I am in a hurry, and want to get home — " And 
he went on without stopping. So Leopard said, "W^ell, I 
pass on my way too!" "Good!" said Rat, "Pass on!" 
And they went on their separate ways. 



WHERE ANIMALS TALK 45 

But Leopard, at a turn in his road, rounded back, and 
hasted by another path to get in front of Rat. When Leo- 
pard again saw Rat a short distance before him, he calls out, 
"Who are you? " The reply was "Ntori; and who are you? " 
Leopard answered, "I'm Njega. Stop on your way, and 
come here to me!" Rat replied, "No! you asked me once 
before to stop, and I refused. And I refuse now; I must 
pass on." 

Because of Rat's unwillingness to stop. Leopard began to 
chase him, and to shout at him, "You have my wife!" Rat 
answered back, "No! I have no wife of yours!" "You lie! 
You have the woman with you. What makes your body so 

big?" 

Rat ran as fast as he could, with Leopard close after him. 
Rat's home is always a hole in the ground; and, as he was 
hard pressed in his flight, he dashed into the first hole he 
came to, which happened to be a small opening into a cave. 
But his tail was not yet drawn in and Leopard was so near 
that he seized it. Projecting from the mouth of the hole 
there was also the small root of a tree. Rat called ont, 
"Friend Njega! what do you think you have caught hold 
of?" "Your tail!" said Leopard. Said Rat, "That is not 
my tail! this other thing near you is my tail!" So Leopard 
let go of the tail, and seized the root. Rat slid quickly to the 
bottom of the hole, and called out, "O! Njega! I did not 
think you were so silly! You had hold of my tail, and you 
let me go! You just look at your hand; you will see my tail- 
hairs clinging to it!" 

Leopard went away in wrath; and, finding Frog at a near- 
by brook, he said to him, "Rangi! you just watch. I do not 
want Ntori to escape from that hole. Watch, while I go to 
get som.e fire, with which to burn him out. " 

Shortly after Leopard had gone, Rat began to creep out. 
Seeing Frog standing on guard, he said, "Good Rangi! let 
me pass!" But Frog replied, "No! I have my orders to 
watch you here." Then said Rat, "If that is so, why don't 
you come close here, and attend to you duty? You are too 
far from this hole. If a person is set to watch, he should 
be near the thing he watches. As far as you are there, I 
could, if I tried, get out without your catching me. So, it 
is better for you to have a good look down this hole. " While 



46 WHERE ANIMALS TALK 

Rat was saying all this, he was near the mouth of the hole; 
but, as Frog approached, he receded to the bottom, and went 
to the back end of the cave, where cayenne pepper bushes 
were growing. Frog came to the edge of the hole, and looking 
down, saw nothing. 

During this while. Rat was plucking pepper-pods and 
chewing them, retaining them in his mouth. Returning 
again to the entrance, he saw Frog still watching, and he 
said, "Rangi! get out of my way, and let me pass. Let me 
out!" Frog replied, "I will not!" Rat asked, "Do you 
know me.^ Frog replied, "Not very well," Then Rat 
said, "Come near! Open your eyes wide, and take a good 
look at me!" As soon as Frog's eyes were wide open, Rat 
blew the pepper into them. This so startled Frog that he 
fell back, his eyes blinded by the smarting; and Rat jumped 
out and ran away. Frog, heedless of his prisoner, was 
jumping about in pain; and, abandoning his post, crawled 
to the water of the brook not far away, and tumbled 
into it to wash his eyes. 

Now, by this time, Leopard had returned with his fire. 
Seeing no one on guard, he called out, "Rangi! Rangi! 
where are you?" Frog, at the bottom of the brook, was still 
in agony with his eyes. He knew well that Rat was gone; 
but, in his vexation, he answered, "Ntori is there! Put in 
your fire!" So, Leopard put fire into the hole, and made a 
great smoke, but there was no sign of Rat. 

After a long time, Leopard became tired at not finding 
Rat, and called out, "Rangi! Rangi! Where indeed is Ntori.f* 
He has not come out by this fire!" Then Frog answered, 
"Ntori is not there. I just lied to you in vexation of the 
pain I got through serving you." So, Leopard was very 
angry and said to Frog, "You have deceived and fooled me! 
I will just come and eat you up!" Said Frog, "Good! come 
on! 

Leopard ran to the brook, but, as Frog was at the bottom, 
Leopard had first to drink all the water, before he could 
reach him. Leopard drank and drank. But, as soon as 
the water was nearly drunk up. Frog jumped out, and hopped 
away to an adjacent pond. There Leopard followed, and 
began to drink up that water also. He drank, and drank, 
and drank, until he became so full and his belly so swollen 



WHERE ANIMALS TALK 47 

that his feet no longer touched the ground; and he fell over 
on his back, before he had entirely emptied the pond. He 
was in such great pain, in his swollen belly, that he was 
helpless, and cried out to passersby, "Please, open a little 
hole in my body, and let out this water!" But each of the 
passersby said, "No! I am afraid that after I have helped 
you, then you will eat me. " 

At last, among those who passed by, came Crab. Leopard 
pleaded with him, "Igamba! please! open my skin. Let out 
this water, so that I may live!" At first. Crab replied as 
the others, "No ! I fear that after I help you, you will eat me. " 
But Leopard begged so piteously that Crab consented, and 
scratched Leopard's skin with one of his claws. And the 
water spurted out! It came in so fast a current that it be- 
gan to sweep Crab away. So Leopard cried out, "Igamba! 
Please! do not let yourself be taken away! Catch hold on 
some root or branch!" Crab did so, holding on to a pro- 
jecting root. When the water had subsided, and Crab was 
safe, Leopard was able to rise; and he said, "Igamba! you 
have been kind to me; let me take you home, and I will be 
good to you; I will cook dinner, so we can eat together." 
Crab agreed, and they w^ent together. 

Leopard began to cook a kind of yam called nkwa, making 
a pot full of it. (When it is thoroughly cooked, it is soft and 
sticky.) The yam being finally ready to be eaten. Leopard 
said, "We do not put this food out on plates, but we bring 
the entire pot, and every one will help himself from it with 
his hands. " Leopard thereupon began to take out handfuls 
of the nkwa, and to eat it. Crab tried to do the same, putting 
a claw into the sticky mass. But its heat burned his tender 
skin, and, in jerking his claw away, it stuck fast in the nkwa, 
and broke off. As soon as that happened, Leopard snatched 
up the claw and ate it. Crab protested, "x\h! Njega! you 
are eating my claw!" Said Leopard, "Excuse me! No, I 
thought it was nkwa." So the dinner went on; Leopard 
greedily eating, Crab trying in vain to eat, and losing claw 
after claw, which Leopard in succession promptly ate. 

Now, when Leopard had finished eating all the food, 
Crab's claws were all gone, and he had not been able to eat 
at all, and was left hungry. So Leopard says to Crab, " Now, 
as you are so helpless, what must I do for you.^^" He hoped 



48 WHERE ANIMALS TALK 

that Crab, in despair, would tell him to eat him. But Leo- 
pard really was not hungry just then; and, when Crab said, 
"If you will just put me into some shallow water for two 
months, then all my claws will grow all right again," Leo- 
pard replied, "Good!" and he took Crab and placed him in 
a small stream of water. 

The next day. Leopard, being now hungry to eat Crab, 
came to the water and called out, "Igamba! Igamba! have 
you your claws grown now?" The reply was, "Why! No! 
I told you two months yesterday, when you put me in here. " 

On the third day, Leopard came again to the water, and 
cried out to Crab, "Have your claws sprouted? Have they 
grown again?" "No!" said Crab curtly. 

Leopard continued thus day by day, vexing Crab with 
inquiries, as if anxious about his health, but really desirous 
of an excuse to eat him, yet ashamed to do so by violence, 
because of Crab's kindness to him when he had the water- 
colic. 

At last. Crab became tired of Leopard's visits. Hopeless 
to defend himself if Leopard should finally use force, he gave 
up in despair, and said, "So! I see why you ask me every 
day. You know that I told you two months. If you are 
determined to eat me, come on, and end the trouble at once!" 
With this permission as an excuse, Leopard was glad. He 
stepped to the edge of the water and took away Crab for 
his dinner. That was the return for Crab's kindness to him. 
After this, Leopard went out again to try to find Rat, but he 
never found him. 



WHERE ANIMALS TALK 49 

TALE 7 

*'NuTS Are Eaten Because of Angangwe"; A Proverb 

Places 

Kingdom of the Hogs; The Forest; and Towns 

Persons 

Angangwe, King of Hogs Njina (Gorilla) 

A Hunter Nyare (Ox) 

Ingowa (Hogs; singular Ngo- Nkambi (Antelope) 

wa) Njagu (Elephant) 

NOTE 

"Inkula si nyo o'kanga 'Ngangwe. " 

This is a proverb expressing the obligation we all owe to 
some superior protecting powers. 



The Hogs had cleared a space in the forest, for the building 
of their town. They were many; men and women and 
children. 

In another place, a Hunter was sitting in his town. Every 
day, at daybreak, he went out to hunt. When he returned 
in the afternoons with his prey, he left it a short distance 
from the town, and entering his house, would say to his 
women and children, "Go to the outskirts of the town, and 
bring what animal you find I have left there. " 

One day, having gone hunting, he killed Elephant. The 
children went out to cut it up and bring it in. 

Another day, he killed Gorilla. 

And so, each day, he killed some animal. He never failed 
of obtaining something. 

One day, his children said to him, "You always return 
with some animal; but you never have brought us Ngowa. " 
He replied, "I saw many Ingowa today, when I was out there. 



50 WHERE ANIMALS TALK 

But, I wonder at one thing; that, when they are all together 
eating, and I approach, they run away. As to Ingowa, they 
eat nkula nuts and I know where the trees are. Well, then, 
I ambush them; but, when I go nearer, I see one big Ngowa 
not eating, but going around and around the herd. Whether 
it sees me or does not see, sure when I get ready to aim my 
gun, then they all scatter. The reason that Ingowa escape 
me, I do not know. " 

The Hogs, when they had finished eating, and were return- 
ing to their own town, as they passed the town of Elephant, 
heard mourning; and they asked, "Who is dead?" The 
answer was, "Njagu is dead! Njagu is dead!*' They in- 
quired, "He died of what disease?" They were told, "Not 
disease; Hunter killed him." Then another day, when Ox 
was killed, his people were heard mourning for him. Another 
day, Antelope was killed; and his people were mourning for 
him. All these animals were dying because of Hunter killing 
them. 

At first, the Hogs felt pity for all these other Beasts. But, 
when they saw how they were dying, they began to mock 
at them, "These are not people! They only die! But, as 
to us Ingowa, Hunter is not able to kill us. We hear only 
the report that there is such a person as Hunter, but he is 
not able to kill us. " 

When Hogs were thus boasting, their King, Angangwe, 
laughed at them, saying, "You don't know, you Ingowa! 
You mock others, that Hunter kills them? " They answered, 
"Yes, we mock at them; for, we go to the forest as they do, 
but Hunter does not touch us." Angangwe asked, "When 
you thus in the forest eat your inkula-nuts, you each one 
eat them by his own strength and skill?" They answered, 
"Yes; ourselves we go to the forest on our own feet; we our- 
selves pick up and eat the inkula. No one feeds us." An- 
gangwe said, "It is not so. Those inkula you eat si nyo 
o'kanga wa oma (they are eaten because of a person) . " They 
insisted, "No, it is not so. Inkula have no person in 
particular to do anything about them." Thus they had 
this long discussion, the Hogs and their Ejng; and they got 
tired of it, and lay down to sleep. 

In the morning, when daylight came, the King said, "A 
journey for nuts! But, today, I am sick. I am not able 



WHERE ANIMALS TALK 51 

to go to gather nuts with you. I will stay in town." The 
Hogs said, "Well! we do not mistake the way. It is not 
necessary for you to go. " 

When they went, they were jeering about their King, 
'*Angangwe said, 'Inkula si nyo o'kanga w' oma'; but we 
will see today without him. " They went to the nkula trees, 
and found great abundance fallen to the ground during the 
night. The herd of Hogs, when they saw all these inkula, 
jumped about in joy. They stooped down to pick up the 
nuts, their eyes busy with the ground. They ate and ate. 
No one of them thought of Hunter, whether he was out in 
the forest. 

But, that very morning, Hunter had risen, taken his gun 
and ammunition-box, and had gone to hunt. And, after 
awhile, he had seen the Hogs in the distance. They were 
only eating and eating, not looking at anything but nuts. 

Hunter said in his heart, "These Hogs, I see them often, 
but why have I not been able to kill them? " He crept softly 
nearer and nearer. Creeping awhile then he stood up to 
spy; and again stooping, and again standing up to spy. He 
did not see the big Hog which, on other days, he had always 
observed going around and around the herd. Hunter stooped 
close to the ground, and crept onward. Then, as he ap- 
proached closer, the Hogs still went on eating. He bent his 
knee to the earth, and he aimed his gun ! Ingowa still eating ! 
His gun flashed ! and ten Hogs died ! 

The Hogs fled; some of them wounded. Those who were 
not wounded, stopped before they reached their town, and 
said, "Let us wait for the wounded." They waited. When 
the hindmost caught up and joined the others, they showed 
them their wounds, some in the head, some in the legs. 
These wounded ones said, "As we came, we saw none others 
behind us. There are ten of us missing; we think they are 
dead." So, they all returned toward their Town; and, on 
their way, began to mourn. 

When they had come clear on to the town, Angangwe 
asked, "What news, from where you come?" They answer- 
ed, "Angangwe! evil news! But we do not know what is 
the matter. Only we know that the words you said are not 
really so, that ' nuts are eaten because of a certain person. ' 
Because, when we went, each one of us gathered by his own 



52 WHERE ANIMALS TALK 

skill, and ate by his own strength, and no one trusted to any- 
one else. And when we went, we ate abundantly, and every- 
thing was good. Except that. Hunter has killed ten of us. 
And many others are wounded." 

The King inquired, '*Well! have you brought nuts for me 
who was left in Town?" They replied, "No; when Hunter 
shot us, we feared, and could no longer wait." Then 
Angangwe said, "I told you that inkula are eaten because of 
a person, and you said, ' not so.' And you still doubt me. " 

Another day, the Hogs went for inkula; and the King, 
remained in town. And, as on the other day. Hunter killed 
them. So, for five successive days, they went, the King 
staying in town; and Hunter killing them. 

Finally, Angangwe said to himself, "Ingowa have become 
great fools. They do not consent to admit that nuts are 
eaten by reason of a certain person. They see how Hunter 
kills them; and they still doubt my words. But, I pity them. 
Tomorrow, I will go with them to the nuts. I will explain 
to them how Hunter kills them." 

So, in the morning, the King ordered, "Come all to nuts! 
But when we go for the nuts, if I say, ' Ngh-o-o !' then every 
bne of you who are eating them must start to town, and not 
come back, because then I have seen or smelt Hunter; and I 
grunt to let you know." All the Hogs agreed. They went 
on clear to the nkula trees, and ate, they stooping with eyes 
to the ground. But Angangwe, not eating, kept looking 
here and there. He sniffed wind from south to north, and 
assured them, "Eat you all! I am here!" He watched 
and watched; and presently he saw a speck far away. He 
passed around to sniff the wind. His nose uplifted, he 
caught the odor of Hunter. He returned to the herd, 
grunted "Ngh-o-o." And he and they all fled. They 
arrived safely at town. 

Then he asked them, "Who is dead.^ who is wounded?" 
They assured, "None." He said, "Good!" 

Thus they went nutting, for five consecutive days, they 
and their King, Angangwe only keeping watch. And none 
of them died by Hunter. 

Then Angangwe said to them, "Today let us have a con- 
versation. " And he began, "I told you, inkula si nyo o'kanga 
w' oma; you said, 'Not so!' But, when you went by your- 



WHERE ANIMALS TALK 53 

selves to eat nuts, did not Hunter kill you? And these five 
days that we have gone, you and I together, and you obeyed 
my voice, who has died?" 

They then replied, "No one! no one! Indeed, you spoke 
truly. You are justified. Inkula si nyo o'kanga wa 'Ngangwe. 
It is so!" 



TALES 

Who Are Crocodile's Relatives? 

Persons 

Ngando (Crocodile) Sinyama (Beasts) 

Sinyani (Birds) 

NOTE 

An Argument in Evolution — When and How does Life 
begin? 



Crocodile was very old. Finally he died. News of his 
death spread abroad among the Beasts; and his relatives 
and friends came to the Mourning. After a proper number 
of days had passed, the matter of the division of the proper y 
was mentioned. At once a quarrel was developed, on the 
question as to who were his nearest relatives. 

The tribe of Birds said, "He is ours and we will be the 
ones to divide the property." Their claim was disputed, 
others asking, "On what ground do you claim relationship? 
You wear feathers; you do not wear plates of armor as he." 
The Birds replied, "True, he did not wear our feathers. But, 
you are not to judge by what he put on during his life. Judge 
by what he was in his life's beg nning. Look you! In his 
beginning, he began with us as an egg. We believe in eggs. 
His mother bore him as an egg. He is our relative, and we 
are his heirs. " 



54 WHERE ANIMALS TALK 

But the Beasts said, "Not so! We are his relatives, and 
by us shall his property be divided." 

Then the Council of Animals demanded of the Beasts on 
what ground they based their claim for relationship, and 
what ansv\^er they could make to the argument of the birds 
as to Crocodile's egg-origin. 

The Beasts said, "It may be true that the mark of tribe 
must be found, in a beginning, but not in an egg. For, all 
Beings began as eggs. Life is the original beginning. Look 
you! When life really begins in the egg, then the mark of 
tribe is shown. When Ngando's life began, he had four 
legs as we have. We judge by legs. So we claim him as our 
relative. And we will take his property." 

But, the Birds answered, "You Beasts said we were not 
relatives because we wear feathers, and not ngando-plates. 
But, you, look you! Judge by your own words. Neither 
do you wear ngando-plates, you with your hair and fur! 
Your words are not correct. The hegininng of his life was 
not, as you say, when little Ngando sprouted some legs. 
There was life in the egg before that. And his egg was like 
ours, not like what you call your eggs. Y'^ou are not his 
relatives. He is ours." 

But the Beasts disputed still. So the quarrel went back 
and forth. And they never settled it. 



TALE 9 

Who is King of Birds. ?^ 

Places 

The Country of Birds in Njambi's Kingdom 
Njambi's Town 

Persons 

Ra-Njambi (Lord or Master Ngwanyani (Eagle) 

of all) Ugulungu (Schizorhis, Plan- 
Njagani (Chicken) tain-Eater) 

Ngozo (Parrot) 



WHERE ANIMALS TALK 55 



NOTE 



1st — Ability to Speak a greater gift than ability in Walk- 
ing, Flying, or any other Force. 

2nd — Why Chickens live with Mankind. 



All the Birds had their dwelKng-place in a certain country 
of Njambi's Kingdom. The pelicans, chickens, eagles, 
parrots and all other winged kinds ail lived together, sepa- 
rated from other animals, in that country under the Great 
Lord Njambi. 

One day, they were discussing together on the question, 
"Who is King of the Birds .f*" They all, each one, named 
himself, e. g., the Chicken said, "l!;" the Parrot, "I!" the 
Eagle "I!" and so on. Every day they had this same dis- 
cussion. They were not able to settle it, or to agree to 
choose any one of their number. So, they said, "Let us 
go to Ra-Njambi, and refer the question to him." They 
agreed; and all went to him so that he might name who was 
the superior among them. When they all had arrived at 
Njambi's Town, he asked, "What is the affair on which you 
have come.f^" They replied, "We have come together here, 
not to visit, but for a purpose. We have a discussion and a 
doubt among ourselves. We wish to know, of all the Birds, 
who is Head or Chief. Each one says for himself that he is 
the superior. This one, because he knows how to fly well; 
that one because he can speak well; and another one, because 
he is strong. But, of these three things, — flight, speech, 
and strength, we ask you, which is the greatest.'^" 

Immediately all the Birds began a competition, each one 
saying, "Choose me; I know how to speak!" Njambi 
silenced them, and bade them, "W^ell, then, come here! I 
know that you all speak. But, show me, each one of you, 
your manner of speaking. " 

So Eagle stood up to be examined. Njambi asked him, 
"How do you speak .^^ What is your manner of talking?" 
Eagle began to scream, "So-o-we! so-o-we! so-o-we!" Njambi 
said, "Good! Now caU me your wife!" The wife of Eagle 



56 WHERE ANIMALS TALK 

came, and Njambi said to her, "You are the wife of Ngwa- 
nyani, how do you talk? " The wife rephed, " I say, ' So-o-we ! 
So-o-we! So-o-we!' " Ra-Njambi said to Eagle, "Indeed! 
you and your wife speak the same kind of language. " Eagle 
answered, "Yes; I and my wife, we speak alike." They were 
ordered, "Sit you aside." 

Then Ra-Njambi directed, "Bring me here Ngozo. " And 
he asked, "Ngozo, how do you talk.?^ What is your way of 
speaking?" Parrot squawked, "I say, 'Ko-do-ko!' " Ra- 
Njambi ordered, "Well, call me your wife!" She came; and 
he asked her, "How do you talk? Talk now!" The wife 
replied, "I say, 'Ko-do-ko!'" Njambi asked Parrot, "So! 
your wife says, 'Ko-do-ko?' " Parrot answered "Yes; my 
wife and I both say, 'Ko-do-ko.' " 

Njambi then ordered, "Call me here, Ugulungu." He 
came, and was asked, "And how do you talk?" He shouted, 
"I say, 'Mbru-ka-ka! mbru-ka-ka! mbru!'" Njambi told 
him," Call me your wife ! " She came, and, when asked, spoke 
in the same way as her husband. Njambi dismissed them, 
"Good! you and your wife say the same thing. Good!" 

So, all the Birds, in succession, were summoned; and they 
all, husband and wife, had the same mode of speaking, ex- 
cept one who had not hitherto been called. 

Njambi finally said, "Call Njagani here!" The Cock 
stood up, and strutted forward. Njambi asked him, "What 
is your speech? Show me your mode of talking!" Cock 
threw up his head, stretched his throat, and crowed, "Ka- 
ka-re-kaa. " Njambi said, "Good! summon your wife 
hither." The wife came; and, of her, Njambi asked, "And, 
what do you say?" She demurely replied, "My husband 
told me that I might talk only if I bore children. So, when 
I lay an egg, I say 'Kwa-ka! Kwa-ka!' " Njambi ex- 
claimed, "So! you don't say, 'Ka-ka-re-kaa,'like your hus- 
band?" She replied, "No, I do not talk as he." 

Then Njambi said to Cock, "For what reason do you not 
allow your wife to say, 'Ka-ka-re-kaa?'" Cock replied, "I 
am Njagani, I respect myself. I jeer at all these other birds. 
Their wives and themselves speak only in the same way. A 
visitor, if he comes to their towns, is not able to know, when 
one of them speaks, which is husband and which is wife, 
because they both speak alike. But I, Njagani, as to my 
wife, she is unable to speak as I do. I do not allow it. A 



WHERE ANIMALS TALK 57 

husband should be at the head; and in his wife it is not be- 
coming for her to be equal with him or to talk as well as he 
does. " 

Njambi listened to this long speech; and then inquired, 
"Have you finished?" Chicken answered, "Yes." 

Njambi summoned all the Birds to stand together in one 
place near him, and he said, "The affair which you brought 
to me, I settle it thus: — Njagani is your Head; because you 
others all speak, husband and wife, each alike. But, he 
speaks for himself in his own way, and his wife in her way; 
to show that a husband has priority and superiority over a 
wife. Therefore, as he knows how to be Head of his family, 
it is settled that Njagani is Head also of your Tribe." 

But, Njambi went on to say, "Though this is true, you, 
Njagani, don't you go back again into the Forest, to your 
Kingship of the Birds. For the other birds will be jealous 
of you. You are not strong, you cannot fight them all. 
Lest they kill you, stay with me in my Town. " 

Cock went to get his wife and children, and returned and 
remained there wdth Ra-Njambi. Therefore, the original 
bird to dwell among Mankind was the chicken. 

When the other Birds scattered and went back to their 
own forest country without their king, they said, "Let it be 
so! We will not choose another King. Our King has left 
us, and has emigrated to another country, and has sat down 
in Njambi 's Town. " 

So, the Birds have lived in the forest without any King. 



There is another story which gives a different explanation 
of chickens being the first of birds to dwell among Mankind. 

The Birds had no fire. They had to eat their food raw, 
and to shiver on cold days. In flying over the other coun- 
tries, they saw Mankind usings in the preparation of their 
food, a thing which birds did not have. They observed 
that that thing seemed to add much to the comfort of Man- 
kind. So, they chose Chicken, not as their King, but, be- 
cause he knew so well how to speak, to go as their messenger, 
to ask Mankind to share that thing with them. Chicken 



58 WHERE ANIMALS TALK 

left the Forest, and started on his journey, and came to the 
towns of Men. 

He found so much food lying around, and it tasted so good 
because it had been touched by that bright thing which he 
heard people call "Fire," that he delayed the delivery of his 
message. And Men were pleased with his usefulness in 
awaking them in the morning, as he called them to get up 
and make their fires. The situation was so comfortable, as 
Mankind allowed him to walk in and out of their houses at 
will, that he forgot his errand, and chose to stay with Men, 
and never went back to the Forest. 

The birds, having no one else who united both audacity to 
act and ability to speak, never sent another messenger on that 
errand, and they remain without fire to this day. 



TALE 10 

"Njiwo Died of Sleep": A Proverb 

Persons 

Njiwo (A Species of Antelope) Nyare (Ox) 

NOTE 

An event (the supposed death of the red antelope) is 
traced to its first cause (sleep) back of the immediate causes 
(the people who actually sought to kill him). Whence the 
proverb, "Eziwo a juwi na Antyavina." "Eziwo" is a 
famihar way of pronouncing Njiwo. 



Antelope and Ox went to a town to dance Bweti (a certain 
spirit-dance). After the dance, Antelope, exhausted with 
the exercise, fell asleep in the Bweti-house. While he was 
there, certain persons made a plot to kill him. Ox heard of 
it, and came to warn him, calling gently, (lest he should be 



WHERE ANIMALS TALK 59 

overheard and himself seized), "Njiwo! Eziwo!" But 
antelope did not hear, and Ox made no further effort, and 
ran away to his home in fear for his own life. 

Then came Antelope's wife, while he still slept, and loudly 
called him. He, only half-awake, grumbled, "What do you 
call me for? Let me rest. I'm tired by the dancing." She 
persisted, "I call you because certain persons want to kill 
you." But, he, still heavy with sleep, did not understand, 
and was not willing to rise, and went on sleeping. Then his 
wife, unable to arouse him, went to call other people to help 
her. 

While she was away, his enemies came and tied him with 
ropes, and left him there tied, still sleeping, alone in the 
house. They locked the house, and went away, intending 
to return and kill him when he should awake. Before they 
came back, his wife returned with aid; and, with machetes and 
knives, they cut open the door, and found him with his limbs 
tied, and still sleeping. They roughly shook him, and he, 
half-conscious, asked, "What do you want here?" His 
wife replied, "I have come to carry you away." So, she 
untied the ropes, and they lifted him and carried him away, 
still too sleepy to walk himself. 

While all this was going on, the people of the town to which 
Ox had fled, asked him, "There were two of you who went 
to dance Bweti. You are here, but where is the other?" 
Ox, assuming that Antelope was dead, and not knowing what 
Antelope's wife had done, told how he had been unable to 
waken him, and said, " Eziwo was killed while asleep. " Then 
the village people said regretfully, "Eh! Eziwo! Sleep has 
killed him!" 

In the meantime, Antelope and his wife had reached the 
town, where the news of his death had preceded them; and 
the people wondered, saying, "Nyare reported that you were 
cut to pieces!" Then Antelope's wife explained that he 
would have been killed, because Ox had not made every 
effort to arouse him from his deep sleep. 

So the friendship of Ox and Antelope ended. And the 
proverb came, that, "Eziwo died of sleep." 



60 WHERE ANIMALS TALK 

TALE 11 

Which is the Fattest? 

Persons 

King Ra-Mborakinda Ngowa (Hog; PI. Ingowa) 

Manga (Manatus) Arandi (Oyster) 

NOTE 

Accept no challenge whose test you know you cannot en- 
dure. Oyster, without fat, accepted the challenge of the fat 
Hog and the fatter Manatus. 

The fat of the Manatus, or dugong seal, is delicious and 
very abundant. 



Ra-IVIborakinda was dwelling in his Town, with his people 
and the glory of his Kingdom. There were gathered there 
the Manatus, the Oyster and the Hog, waiting to be assigned 
their kingdoms. To pass the time, while waiting until the 
King should summon them for their assignments. Oyster 
said, ''You, Manga, and Ngowa, let us have a dance!" And 
they went to exhibit before the King. They danced and 
danced, each one dancing his own special dance. 

After that they made a fire, each one at his own fire-place, 
and sat down to rest. Then Hog proposed a new entertain- 
ment. He said, "You, Arandi, and Manga, we all three 
shall test ourselves by fire, to see who has the most fat." 
And they all three went into their respective fire-places, 
Hog into his, and Manatus into his, and Oyster into its. 
Under the influence of the heat, the fat in their bodies began 
to melt. 

Then the King announced, "To the one who shall prove 
to have the most fat, I will give a great extent of country as 
its kingdom. " So, they all three tried to show much fat, in 
their effort to win the prize. 

Presently, the fat of Hog began to cease exuding, for he 



WHERE ANIMALS TALK 61 

had not a great deal. As to Oyster, it had no fat. What it 
produced was not fat at all, but water; and that was in such 
quantity that it put out its fire. 

These facts about the Hog and Oyster were reported to 
the Ejng, and when he inquired how Manatus was getting 
on, lo! it was found that she had such abundance of fat, 
that the oil flowing from her had burst into flame and had set 
the town on fire. 

At this, the King wondered, and exclaimed, "This Manga, 
that lives in the water, has yet enough fat to set the town 
afire!" 

Then Manatus with Hog and Oyster went and sat to- 
gether in the open court before the King's house, to await 
what would be his decision. When he was ready, he sent 
two heralds to summon not only those three, but all the 
Tribes of the Beasts of the Forest, and of the Fishes of the 
Sea; and the town was full of these visitors. But, Hog and 
all his tribe had become impatient of waiting, and had gone 
off for a walk. All the other animals that had been sum- 
moned, came into the King's presence, and he, having as- 
cended his throne, said, "I am ready now to speak with 
these three persons; but, I see that the Ingowa are not here. 
So, because of their disrespect in going off to amuse them- 
selves with a walk instead of waiting for me, I condemn that 
they shall no longer wear any horns. " 

Then the King announced that, as Manatus had the 
most fat, her promised territory should be the Sea, and of it 
she should be ruler. But, Manatus said, "I do not want to 
live in the Sea, lest I be killed there." The King asked, 
"Then, where will you prefer to live?" She answered, "In 
such rivers as I shall hke. " 

That is the reason that the Manatus lives only in rivers 
and bays. For, one day she and her children had floated 
with the tide to the mouth of a river and into the Sea; and 
some of them had been killed there by sharks and other big 
fish. So, the Manatus is never now found near the Sea on 
ordinary tides, but only when high tides have swept it down. 

Just as the King had made his announcement, the com- 
pany of Hogs returned and entered the Assembly. They 
explained, "We have just come back from our walk, and we 
wish to resume our horns which we left here." But the 



62 WHERE ANIMALS TALK 

King refused, and kept possession of the horns. Hog 
begged, "Please! let me have my horns!" But the King 
swore an oath, saying, "0 savi! (By the Blessing!) wherever 
you go, and whatever you be, you shall have no horns." 
So the Hogs departed. 

Now Oyster stood up, and said, "I wish to go to my place. 
Where shall it be.^^" The King said, "I will give you no 
other place than what you already have had. I do not 
wish to put you into the fresh- water springs and brooks with 
Manga. You shall go into the salty waters." So 
Oyster went; and its race lives on the edge of the rivers, near 
the Sea, in brackish waters. And the King said to Oyster, 
'*A11 the tribes of Mankind, by the Sea, when they fail to 
obtain other fish, shall be allowed to eat you." 

All knew that this was a punishment given by the King to 
Oyster, for having dared the test by fire, pretending that it 
had fat, the while it had none. 



TALE 12 

Why Mosquitoes Buzz 

Persons 

Mbo (Mosquito) Aga (Hands) 

Oroi (Ear) 

NOTE 

It is a practice of African natives, after taking a bath, to 
anoint their bodies with some oil or grease. 



In the time of Long-ago, in Njambi's Town, Mosquito 
and Ear went out to take a bath together. After taking 
her bath. Ear began to rub an oily substance over herself; 
while Mosquito did not. So Ear said to Mosquito, "Why 
do you leave your skin so rough? It is better to rub on a 



WHERE ANIMALS TALK 63 

little oil." Mosquito replied, "I have none." So Ear said, 
"Indeed! I did not know that. I will give you part of 
mine, as I have plenty." Mosquito had to wait the while 
that Ear was rubbing the soft wax over herself. But, as 
soon as Ear had finished, she put back the wax into her ear 
where she usually kept it, and did not fulfill her promise to 
Mosquito. 

When Mosquito saw this, that the wax was put away, he 
came near to the door, and said, "I want the oil you promised 
for rubbing on my body. " But Ear took no notice of him, 
except to call on Hands to drive Mosquito away. 

So, to this day. Mosquito is not willing to cease making 
his claim for the unfulfilled promise; and is always coming 
to our ears, and buzzing and crying. Always Mosquito 
comes and says, "I want my oil, Bz-z-z-z." But Ear re- 
mains silent, and gives no answer. And Mosquito keeps on 
grumbling and complaining, and gets angry and bites. 



TALE 13 

Unkind Criticism 



Persons 
Tyema (A Black Monkey) Ekaga (Tortoise) 



NOTE 



This story is probably of comparatively recent origin 
though known at least fifty years ago. It seems to point 
to the time when white men began to taunt negroes because 
of their color, the common insult by an angry white master 
being "You black monkey!" The tale cannot antedate the 
first coming of white men to West Africa three hundred 



64 WHERE ANIMALS TALK 

years ago; for, no native would have invented this insult, 
though they do now imitate white men, when, in a quarrel, 
they wish to taunt an opponent. 

The Black Monkey, up a tree, saw Tortoise passing be- 
neath, slowly and awkwardly moving step by step. Monkey 
laughed at the dull manner and appearance of Tortoise; and, 
to tease one whom he thought stupid and unable to resent 
insult, he jumped down onto the back of Tortoise. There, 
safely perched, he jeered at Tortoise, saying many unkind 
things. Tortoise was unable to throw off his tormentor; 
nor could he reach him. His short hands and feet could not 
touch Monkey. So, Tortoise was compelled to carry Mon- 
key on the way, the while that the latter was taunting him. 
Finally, the patience of Tortoise was exhausted, and, his 
indignation being aroused, he stopped, and said angrily, 
"Get off of my back, you black monkey!" 

Monkey was sensitive about his color; and, at that word 
"black," he slipped off, and went away ashamed. But he 
was angry also, and determined to have some revenge. 

Some time after this. Monkey made a feast, and invited a 
number of beasts, among the rest Tortoise. But Monkey 
purposely placed all the dishes up high, so that Tortoise, 
unable to reach to them, could get no food, as he vainly went 
around and around the table. All the while. Monkey was 
sarcastically urging him to come and help himseff and eat. 
Tortoise bore it without complaint; and at the end of the 
feast, he went away hungry. But he also determined to 
have his revenge. 

On another day. Tortoise made a feast, and invited the 
same persons who had seen his humiliation at the house of 
Monkey. Monkey came to the feast. But Tortoise had 
prepared the food in only one dish, around which the com- 
pany were to sit on the ground, and from which they were 
to eat with their hands. Before calling them to eat. Tortoise 
had provided water and soap for them to wash their hands 
previous to their putting them into the same dish. As 
Monkey was about to put his. Tortoise reminded him that 
it was black, and that he should first wash it. He said, 
"Here is water, and the soap by which white people keep 
their hands from getting black." 

Monkey was ashamed, and lathered the soap over his 



WHERE ANIMALS TALK 65 

hands until they were white with foam. "Now," said Tor- 
toise, "put your hand into the water to remove the foam." 
Monkey did so; and his hands were still black. 

The rest of the company objected to his black hand going 
into their food. And he went away ashamed and hungry. 



TALE 14 

The Suitors of Princess Gorilla 

Place 

Njambi's Country 

Persons 

King Njina (Gorilla) and His Ngowa (Hog) 

Daughter Njega (Leopard) 

Njagu (Elephant) Telinga (a very small Mon- 
Nguwu (Hippopotamus) key) 

Bejaka (Fishes: Sing. Ejaka) 

NOTE 

This story evidently dates back to the first introduction 
of Rum into Africa. Gorilla's "new kind of water" was 
Rum. 

Telinga's cheating did not finally succeed in obtaining 
him the wife; but was the cause of his now living only in 
trees; whereas formerly he lived in the long grass. The 
Telinga are very numerous, and they all look so alike that 
one cannot be distinguished from another. In the story, he 
had arranged with all his companions to help him drink. 

In the Gorilla Country there are no lions, and there he is 
readily called the King of Beasts, because of the fearful 
length and strength of his arms. 

How absurd that so horribly ugly a caricature of a human 
being should be supposed to have a beautiful daughter! 



66 WHERE ANIMALS TALK 

King Gorilla had a daughter, whose beauty had been 
much praised. She being of marriageable age, he announced 
to all the tribes that he would give her in marriage to any- 
one who could accomplish a certain task. He said he would 
not take any of the goods usually given in payment for a 
wife, as dowry. But, that he had a new kind of water, such 
as had never before been seen; and, whoever could drink 
an entire barrelful of it, should have the prize that had been 
coveted by many. 

So, all the tribes came together one day in the forest 
country of the King, to compete for the young woman, and 
the paths were crowded with the expectant suitors on their 
way to the King's Court. 

First, because of his size. Elephant stepped forward. He 
walked with his solemn dignity, his ponderous feet sounding, 
tubu, tubu, as he strode toward where the barrel stood. He 
could, however, scarcely suppress his indignation, in the 
presence of the King, at what he considered the insultingly 
small test to which he was about to be subjected. He 
thought in his heart, "That barrelful of water! Why! I, 
Njagu, when I take my daily bath, I spurt from my trunk 
many barrelfuls over my whole body, and I drink half a 
barrelful at every meal. And this! Why! I'll swallow 
it down in two gulps!" He thrust his proboscis into the 
barrel to draw up a big mouthful. But, he instantly with- 
drew it, before he began to suck up any of it. "The new 
water" stung him. He lifted his trunk, and trumpeting 
with rage, declared that the task was impossible. 

Many in the company, who had feared that the big ele- 
phant would leave no chance for them, secretly rejoiced at 
his failure; and began to hope for themselves. 

Then Hippopotamus blundered forward. He was in 
haste, for he was sure he would succeed. He was not as 
big or heavy as Elephant, though he was more awkward. 
But he did not hesitate to boast aloud what he could do. 
"You, Njagu, with your big body, afraid of that little barrel 
of water! Why! I live in water half of the time. And 
when I begin to drink in a river, I cause the Bejeka to be 
frightened." So he came bellowing and roaring, in order 
to impress the young woman with his importance. But his 
mouth had not sunk into the barrel as he thrust his nose in. 



WHERE ANIMALS TALK 67 

before he jerked his head up with a bigger bellow of pain and 
disgust at the new water. Without making even a bow to 
the King, he shambled off to a river to wash his mouth. 

Next came Hog. He said to Gorilla, "King Gorilla, I 
do not boast like those two other fellows, nor will I insult 
you as they have done, even if I fail. But, I do not think I 
shall fail. I am accustomed to putting my nose into all 
sorts of dirty places; so I shall try. " He did try, slowly and 
carefully. But, even he, used to all sorts of filth and bad 
smells, turned from the barrel in disgust, and went away 
grunting. 

Then Leopard came bounding forward, boasting and 
jumping from side to side to show his beautiful skin to the 
young woman. He derided the other three who had pre- 
ceded him. "O! you fellows! You had no chance at all, 
even if you had drunk up that water. The woman would 
not look at you, nor live with such blundering, awkward 
gawks as you. Look at my graceful body and tail! These 
strong but soft paws of mine! And, as to that barrel, you 
shall see in a few minutes. Though we of the Cat Tribe do 
not like to wet our feet, I will do it for the sake of the woman. 
I 'm the dandy of the Forest, and I shall go at it more grace- 
fully than you. " He leaped onto the barrel. But, its very 
fumes sickened him. He made one vain effort. And with 
limp tail between his legs he craw^led away to hide his shame. 

One after another of the various Beasts attempted. And 
all failed. Finally, there crept forward the little Telinga. 
He had left the hundreds of his Tribe of little Monkeys 
hidden out in the grass field. As he advanced, there was a 
murmur of surprise from the unsuccessful spectators. Even 
King Gorilla could not refrain from saying, "Well! my httle 
fellow! what do you want?" Telinga replied, "Your Majes- 
ty, did not you send word to all the Tribes that any one 
might compete?" "Yes, I did," he answered. iVnd Telinga 
said, "Then I, Telinga, small as I am, I shall try." The 
King rephed, "I will keep my royal word. You may try." 
"But, Your Majesty," asked TeUnga, "is it required that 
the barrel must be drank at one draught? May I not, be- 
tween each mouthful, take a very short rest out in the grass?" 
Said Gorilla, "Certainly, just so you drink it today." 

So Telinga took a sip, and leaped off into the grass. And, 



68 WHERE ANIMALS TALK 

apparently, lie immediately returned, and took another sip 
and leaped back into the grass ; and, apparently, immediately 
returned again. And apparently — (They were his com- 
panions who had come one by one to help him!) Thus the 
barrelful of firewater was rapidly sipped away. 

King Gorilla announced Telinga as the winner of the prize. 

What the young woman thought of the loss of her graceful 
lovers, the Antelopes and others, is not known. For, when 
Telinga advanced to take her. Leopard and others dashed 
at him, shouting, "You miserable little snip of a fellow! 
You've won her; but if we can't have her you shan't. There ! 
take that! and that! and that!" as they began to beat and 
kick and bite him. 

In terror, he jumped into the trees, abandoning his 
bride. 

And he and his tribe have remained in the trees ever 
since, afraid to come down to the ground. 



TALE 15 

Leopard of the Fine Skin 

Place 

Town of King Mborakinda 

Persons 

King Mborakinda Njega (Leopard) 

Ilambe, His Daughter Kabala (A Magic Horse) 

Ra-Marange, A Doctor Ogula-Ya-Mpazya-Vazya, 
And Other People A Sorcerer 

NOTE 

Leopards can swim if compelled to, but they do not like to 
enter water, or wet their feet in any way. 



WHERE ANIMALS TALK 69 

At the town of Ra-Mborakinda, where he Uved with his 
wives and his children and his glory, this occurred. 

He had a beloved daughter, by name Ilambe. He loved 
her much; and sought to please her in many ways, and gave 
her many servants to serve her. When she grew up to 
womanhood, she said that she did not wish any one to come 
to ask her in marriage; that she herself would choose a hus- 
band. "Moreover, I will never marry any man who has 
any, even a little bit of, blotch on his skin. " 

Her father did not like her to speak in that way; neverthe- 
less, he did not forbid her. 

When men began to come to the father and say, " I desire 
your daughter Ilambe for a wife," he would say, "Go, and 
ask herself." Then when the man went to Ilambe's house, 
and would say, "I have come to ask you in marriage," her 
only reply was a question, "Have you a clear skin, and no 
blotches on your body.^" If he answered, "Yes," Eambe 
would say, "But, I must see for myself; come into my room. " 
There she required the man to take off all his clothing. And 
if, on examination, she saw the slightest pimple or scar, she 
would point toward it, and say, "That! I do not want you." 
Then perhaps he would begin to plead, "All my skin is right, 
except — ." But she would interrupt him, "No! for even 
that little mark I do not want you. " 

So it went on with all who came, she finding fault with 
even a small pimple or scar. And all suitors were rejected. 
The news spread abroad that Ra-Mborakinda had a beauti- 
ful daughter, but that no one was able to obtain her, because 
of what she said about diseases of the skin. 

Still, many tried to obtain her. Even animals changed 
themselves to human form, and sought her, in vain. 

At last, Leopard said, "Ah! this beautiful woman! I hear 
about her beauty, and that no one is able to get her. I 
think I better take my turn, and try. But, first I will go to 
Ra-Marange. " He went to that magic-doctor, and told his 
story about Ra-Mborakinda's fine daughter, and how no man 
could get her because of her fastidiousness about skins. 
Ra-Marange told him, "I am too old. I do not now do 
those things about medicines. Go to Ogula-ya-mpazya- 
vazya." 

So, Leopard went to him. As usual, the sorcerer Ogula 



70 WHERE ANIMALS TALK 

jumped into his fire; and coming out with power, directed 
Leopard to tell what he wanted. So he told the whole story 
again, and asked how he should obtain the clean body of a 
man. The sorcerer prepared for him a great "medicine" 
by which to give him a human body, tall, graceful, strong 
and clean. Leopard then went back to his town, told his 
people his plans, and prepared their bodies also for a change 
if needed. Having taken also a human name, Ogula, he 
then went to Ra-Mborakinda, saying, "I wish your daughter 
Ilambe for wife. " 

On his arrival, at Ra-Mborakinda's, the people admired 
the stranger, and felt sure that Ilambe would accept this 
suitor, exclaiming, "This fine-looking man! his face! and his 
gait! and his body!" When he had made his request of 
Ra-Mborakinda, he was told, as usual, to go to Ilambe and 
see whether she would like him. When he went to her 
house, he looked so handsomely, that Ilambe was at once 
pleased with him. He told her, "I love you; and I come to 
marry you. You have refused many. I know the reason 
why, but I think you will be satisfied with me. " She replied, 
"I think you have heard from others the reason for which I 
refuse men. I will see whether you have what I want." 
And she added, "Let us go into the room; and let me see 
your skin. " 

They entered the room; and Ogula-Njega removed his fine 
clothing. Ilambe examined with close scrutiny from his 
head to his feet. She found not the slightest scratch or mark; 
his skin was like a babe's. Then she said, "Yes! this is my 
man! truly! I love you, and wUl marry you!" She was so 
pleased with her acquisition, that she remained in the room 
enjoying again a minute examination of her husband's 
beautiful skin. Then she went out, and ordered her servants 
to cook food, prepare water, etc., for him; and he did not go 
out of the house, nor have a longing to go back to his town, 
for he found that he was loved. 

On the third day, he went to tell the father, Ra-Mboraki- 
nda, that he was ready to take his wife off to his town. Ra- 
Mborakinda consented. All that day, they prepared food 
for the marriage-feast. But, all the while that this man- 
beast, Ogula-Njega, was there, Ra-Mborakinda, by his 
okove (a magic fetish) knew that some evil would come out 



WHERE ANIMALS TALK 71 

of this marriage. However, as Ildmbe had insisted on choos- 
ing her own way, he did not interfere. 

After the marriage was over, and the feast eaten, Ra- 
Mborakinda called his daughter, and said, "Ilambe, mine, 
now you are going off on your journey." She said, "Yes; 
for I love my husband." The father asked, "Do you love 
him truly?" She answered "Yes." Then he told her, 
"As you are married now, you need a present from me, as 
your ozendo (bridal gift)." So, he gave her a few presents, 
and told her, "Go to that house," indicating a certain house 
in the town; and he gave her the key of the house, and told 
her to go and open the door. That was the house where he 
kept all his charms for war, and fetishes of all kinds. He 
told her, "When you go in, you will see two Kabala, standing 
side by side. The one that will look a little dull, with its 
eyes directed to the ground, take it; and leave the brighter 
looking one. When you are coming with it, you will see that 
it walks a little lame. Nevertheless, take it. " She objected, 
"But, father, why do you not give me the finer one, and not 
the weak one.f*" But he said, "No!" and made a knowing 
smile, as he repeated, " Go, and take the one I tell you. " He 
had reason for giving this one. The finer-looking one had 
only fine looks; but this other one would some day save her 
by its intelligence. 

She went and took Horse, and returned to her father; and 
the journey was prepared. The father sent with her, servants 
to carry the baggage, and to remain mth and work for her 
at the town of her marriage. She and her husband arranged 
all their things, and said good-bye, and off they went, both 
of them sitting on Horse's back. 

They journeyed and they journeyed. On the way, Ogula- 
Njega, though changed as to his form and skin, possessed 
all his old tastes. Having been so many days without tast- 
ing blood or uncooked meats, as they passed through the 
forest of wild beasts, the longing came on him. They emerged 
onto a great prairie, and journeyed across it toward another 
forest. Before they had entirely crossed the prairie, the 
longing for his prey so overcame him that he said, "Wife, 
you with your Kabala and the servants stay here while I go 
rapidly ahead; and wait for me until I come again." So 
he went off, entered the forest, and changed himseK back 



72 WHERE ANIMALS TALK 

to Leopard. He hunted for prey, caught a small animal, 
and ate it; and another, and ate it. After being satisfied, 
he washed his hands and mouth in a brook; and, changing 
again to human form, he returned on the prairie to his wife. 

She observed him closely, and saw a hard, strange look on 
his face. She said, "But, all this while! What have you 
been doing?" He made an excuse. They went on. 

And the next day, it was the same, he leaving her, and 
telling her to wait till he returned; and hunting and eating as 
a Leopard. All this that was going on, Ilambe was ignorant 
of. But Horse knew. He would speak after awhile, but 
was not ready yet. 

So it went on, until they came to Leopard's town. Before 
they reached it, Ogula-Njega, by the preparations he had 
first made, had changed his mother into a human form in 
which to welcome his wife. Also the few people of the town, 
all with human forms, welcomed her. But, they did not 
sit much with her. They stayed in their own houses; and 
Ogula-Njega and his wife stayed in theirs. For a few days, 
Leopard tried to be a pleasant Ogula, deceiving his wife. But 
his taste for blood was still in his heart. He began to say, 
"I am going to another town; I have business there." And 
ofi^ he would go, hunting as a leopard; when he returned, it 
would be late in the day. So he did on other days. 

After a time, Ilambe wished to make a food-plantation, 
and sent her men-servants to clear the ground. Ogula- 
Njega would go around in the forest on the edge of the 
plantation; and catching one of the men, there would return 
that day one servant less. 

One by one, all the men-servants were thus missing; and 
it was not known what became of them, except that Leopard's 
people knew. One night Ogula-Njega was out; and, meeting 
one of the female servants, she too was reported missing. 

Sometimes, when Ogula-Njega was away, Ilambe, feeling 
lonesome, would go and pet Horse. After the loss of this 
maid-servant, Horse thought it was time to warn Ilambe of 
what was going on. While she was petting him, he said, 
"Eh! Ilambe! you do not see the trouble that is coming 
to you!" She asked, "What trouble?" He exclaimed, 
"What trouble? If your father had not sent me with you, 
what would h^ve become of you? Where are all your ser- 



WHERE ANIMALS TALK 73 

vants that you brought with you? You do not know where 
they go to, but I know. Do you think that they disappear 
without a reason? I will tell you where they go. It is your 
man who eats them; it is he who wastes them!" She could 
not believe it, and argued, "Why should he destroy them?" 
Horse replied, "If you doubt it, wait for the day when your 
last remaining servant is gone. " 

Two days after that, at night, another maid-servant 
disappeared. Another day passed. On another day, Ogula- 
Njega went off to hunt beasts, with the intention that, if 
he failed to get any, at night he would eat his wife. 

When he had gone, Ilambe, in her loneliness, went to 
fondle Horse. He said to her, "Did I not tell you? The 
last maid is gone. You yourself will be the next one. I will 
give you counsel. When you have opportunity this night, 
prepare yourself ready to run away. Get yourself a large 
gourd, and fill it with ground-nuts ; another with gourd-seeds ; 
and another with water. " He told her to bring these things 
to him, and he would know the best time to start. 

While they were talking, Leopard's mother was out in the 
street, and heard the two voices. She said to herself, " Ilambe, 
wife of my son, does she talk with Kabala as if it was a per- 
son?" But, she said nothing to Ilambe, nor asked her about 
it. 

Night came on; and Ogula-Njega returned. He said 
nothing; but his face looked hard and bad. Ilambe was 
troubled and somewhat frightened at his ugly looks. So, at 
night, on retiring, she began to ask him, "But why? Has 
anything displeased you?" He answered, "No; I am not 
troubled about anything. Why do you ask questions?" 
"Because I see it in your face that your countenance is not 
pleasant." "No; there's no matter. Everything is right. 
Only, about my business, I think I must start very early." 
Ogula-Njega had begun to think, "Now she is suspecting 
me. I think I will not eat her this night, but will put it off 
until next night." 

That night, Ilambe did not sleep. In the morning, Leo- 
pard said that he would go to his business, but would come 
back soon. W^hen he was gone away to his hunting work, 
Ilambe felt lonesome, and went to Horse. He, thinking 
this a good time to run away, they started at once, without 



74 WHERE ANIMALS TALK 

letting any one in the village know, and taking with them 
the three gourds. Horse said that they must go quickly; 
for, Leopard, when he discovered them gone, would rapidly 
pursue. So they went fast and faster. Horse looking back 
from time to time, to see whether Leopard was pursuing. 

After they had been gone quite a while, Ogula-Njega 
returned from his business to his village, went into his house, 
and did not see Ilambe. He called to his mother, " Where is 
Ilambe.^" His mother answered, "I saw Ilambe with her 
Kabala, talking together; they have been at it for two days. " 
Ogula-Njega began to search; and, seeing the hoof -prints, 
he exclaimed, " Mi asaiya (shame forme). Ilambe has run 
away. I and she shall meet today ! " 

He instantly turned from his human form back to that 
of leopard, and went out, and pursued, and pursued, and 
pursued. But, it took some time before he came in sight of 
the fugitives. As Horse turned to watch, he saw Leopard, 
his body stretched low and long in rapid leaps. Horse said 
to Ilambe, "Did I not tell you.^ There he is, coming!" 
Horse hasted, with foam dropping from his lips. When he 
saw that Leopard was gaining on them, he told Ilambe to 
take the gourd of peanuts from his back, and scatter them 
along behind on the ground. Leopards like peanuts; and 
when Ogula-Njega came to these nuts, he stopped to eat 
them. While he was eating, Horse gained time to get ahead. 
As soon as Leopard had finished the nuts, he started on in 
pursuit again, and soon began to overtake. When he ap- 
proached. Horse told Ilambe to throw out the gourd-seeds. 
She did so. Leopard delayed to eat these seeds also. This 
gave Horse time to again get ahead. Thus they went on. 

Leopard, having finished the gourd-seeds, again went 
leaping in pursuit; and, for the third time, came near. Horse 
told Ilambe to throw the gourd of water behind, with force 
so that it might crash and break on the ground. As soon as 
she had done so, the water was turned to a stream of a deep 
wide river, between them and Leopard. Then he was at 
a loss. So, he shouted, "Ah! Ilambe! Mi asaiya! If I only 
had a chance to catch you ! " So, he had to turn back. 

Then Horse said, "We do not know what he may do yet; 
perhaps he may go around and across ahead of us. As there 
is a town which I know near here, we had better stay there a 



WHERE ANIMALS TALK 75 

day or two while he may be searching for us." He added 
to her, "Mind! this town where we are going, no woman is 
allowed to be there, only men. So, I will change your face 
and dress like a man's. Be very careful how you behave 
when you take your bath, lest you die." Ilambe promised; 
and Horse changed her appearance. So, a fine-looking young 
man was seen riding into the street of the village. There 
were exclamations in the street, "This is a stranger! Hail! 
stranger; hail! Who showed you the way to come here?" 
This young man answered, "Myself; I was out riding; I 
saw an open path; and I came in." He entered a house, 
and was welcomed; and they told him their times of eating, 
and of play, etc. But, on the second day, as this young 
man went out privately, one of the men observed, and said 
to the other, "He acts like a woman!" The others asked, 
"Really! you think so?" He asserted, "Yes! I am sure!" 
So, that day Ilambe was to meet with some trouble; for, to 
prove her, the men had said to her, "Tomorrow we all go 
bathing in the river, and you shall go with us." She went 
to ask Horse w^hat she should do. He rebuked her, "I 
warned you, and you have not been careful. But, do not 
be troubled; I will change you into a man." 

That night, Ilambe went to Horse; and he changed her. 
He also told her, "I warn you again. Tomorrow you go to 
bathe with the others, and you may take off your clothes; 
for, you are now a man. But, it is only for a short time, 
because we stay here only a day and a night more, and then 
we must go. " 

The next morning all the town went to play, and after 
that to bathe. When they went into the water, the other 
men were all expecting to see a woman revealed; but they 
saw that their visitor was a man. They admired his wonder- 
fully fine physique. On emerging from the water, the men 
said to the one who had informed on Ilambe, "Did you not 
tell us that this was a woman? See, how great a man he is ! ' 
As soon as they said that, the young man Ilambe was vexed 
with him, and began to berate him, saying, "Eh! you said 
I was a woman?" And she chased him and struck him. 
Then they all went back to the town. 

In the evening, Horse told Ilambe, "I tell you what to do 
tomorrow. In the morning, you take your gun, and shoot 



76 WHERE ANIMALS TALK 

me dead. After you have shot me, these men will find fault 
with you, saying 'Ah! you shoot your horse, and did not 
care for it?' But, do not say anything in reply. Cut me in 
pieces, and burn the pieces in the fire. After this, carefully 
gather all the black ashes; and, very early in the following 
morning, in the dark before any one is up, go out of the 
village gateway, scatter the ashes, and you will see what will 
happen. " 

The young man did all this. On scattering the ashes, 
he instantly found himself changed again to a woman, and 
sitting on Horse's back; and they were running rapidly 
away. 

That same day, in the afternoon, they came to the town 
of the father Ra-Mborakinda. On their arrival there, they 
(but especially Horse) told their whole story. Ilambe was 
somewhat ashamed of herself; for, she had brought these 
troubles on herself by insisting on having a husband with a 
perfectly fine skin. So, her father said, "Ilambe, my child, 
you see the trouble you have brought on yourself. For you, 
a woman, to make such a demand was too much. Had I 
not sent Kabala with you, what would have become of you.^^ " 
The people gave Ilambe a glad welcome. And she went to 
her house, and said nothing more about fine skins. 



TALE 16 

Why the Plantain-Stalk Bears but One Bunch 

Persons 

Oyila (Oil-Palm Tree) Mbindi (Wild Goat) 

Akanda (Plantain-Stalk) 

note 

According to native law of hospitality, duty to a guest 
requires almost any sacrifice. This is oriental. (See Genesis 
Chap. 19, vs. 8.) A plantain-stalk bears but one bunch. 



WHERE ANIMALS TALK 77 

Therefore, to gather the fruit, the stalk with apparent ruth- 
lessness is cut down. But, there are always from two to 
five young sprouts at the base, from 2 feet to 5 feet in height, 
which, in succession, take the place of the parent stem. 

Observe the Cannibalism. All African tribes were former- 
ly Cannibals. Many interior tribes still are. This story is 
a marked illustration of the characteristic impossibilities 
iji native tales, "Plantain" being at one and the same time 
a plant and a human being! 



Palm-tree produced Plantain tree. 

Then there stood up an animal called Wild Goat, and it 
went to seek marriage with Palm-tree's daughter Plantain. 
It was so arranged; and the marriage was held. 

As Goat and his wife were about departing to his own town, 
Palm-tree gave some parting advice to her daughter Plan- 
tain; "When you shall be about to become a mother, come 
back and stay with me. " 

Not long after this, Plantain was to become a mother; and 
people went to Palm-tree to inform her of the fact. This 
daughter Plantain did not obey her mother's directions, but 
remained in the tow^n until her child was born. This was 
told to mother Palm-tree, who was dissatisfied, and said, 
"Eh! I told Akanda to have her child born with me!" 

The reason that Palm-tree had given this direction to 
Plantain was, that, as her own custom, in bearing her palm- 
nuts, was to have several bunches in sight at one time, and 
ripening in succession, she wished her daughter to have the 
same habit. 

After Plantain had borne her child, it grew well and became 
very strong. One day, strangers came to the town on a 
visit; and, when the villagers looked for food for the visitors, 
to their shame, they found they had none. Then one of the 
women of the village said, "Well! let us cut down this 
Akanda, and cook it and eat it. " So, a machete was seized, 
and Plantain's stalk was slashed, and Palm-tree's child 
Plantain was taken and cooked and eaten. At this, people 
went and told Palm-tree, saying, "Your child is cut down, 



78 WHERE ANIMALS TALK 

and is cooked and eaten. " The mother Palm-tree helplessly 
rephed, " What can I do? " 

All this while, the husband Goat had been away on a jour- 
ney. When he returned, and came to his town, and found 
that his wife, Palm-tree's child, was not there, he asked, 
" My wife; is she dead? " The people answered him, " Yes ! " 
"But," he asked, "for what reason did she die?" They 
answered, "Because the people of the town had no food for 
their guests." Mbindi complained further, saying, "So! 
when Akanda was cooked, you gave your guests only plan- 
tains; were you so inhospitable as to give them also no meat 
or fish?'; 

At this the people were vexed, and they said, "Well then! 
let this husband be killed and eaten as the meat!" So they 
killed and ate him. 

This news, people also carried to Palm-tree, telling her 
that Plantain's husband was also killed and eaten. 

Then Palm-tree came to the town to speak about the death 
of Plantain. The people justified themselves, saying, "But, 
what else could we do? It was necessary to provide for the 
guests. " 

Plam-tree submitted, "Truly, had Akanda obeyed me and 
come to me and borne her child in my presence, she would 
have had abundance, and would not have died. " 



PART SECOND 

Benga Tribe 

FOREWORD 

The tales of this second part had their source with narra- 
tors of Benga — speaking tribes of Corisco Island, the region 
of the Bonito River, and Batanga. Nos. 1, 2, 3 and 4 were 
written in Benga by the pioneer missionaries, Rev. Messrs. 
Mackey and Clemens, from the dictation in Benga by natives 
of Corisco, more than 40 years ago; and were printed as 
reading-lessons in the Primer used in their schools. 

I have translated them into Enghsh. They having thus 
passed twice through foreign thought, have lost most of their 
native idioms. Tale 4 was independently re-told me at 
Batanga within the past few years, by a narrator living 
there. It differs from the version printed in the Primer, and 
I have combined the two. 

The remaining thirty tales were given me at Batanga; 
by three adult narrators, all of them civilized men. They 
spoke them with me alone, or in the presence of one or two 
silent attendants, sentence by sentence, in their Bapuku 
dialect of the Benga language. I rapidly made notes in 
an English translation of their principal words. This was 
always at night, in order to leave the narrator at that ease 
which he would naturally feel if he was telling the story to an 
audience in the street, as he is accustomed to do in the eve- 
nings. For that purpose also, I shaded my lamp, using its 
light only for my pencil; he therefore spoke unrestrainedly. 
Next morning, with my memory still fresh of the night's 
story, I filled out the sentences. This set of the tales there- 
fore is more native, in the preservation of its idioms, than any 
other part. 



79 



TALE 1 

Swine Talking 

Persons 
Ingowa (Hogs) 

NOTE 

Unlike other native legends based on "they say," the 
native narrator, now more than 40 years ago, gave the 
name and family name of the man who is stated to have 
reported that he heard Swine talking with human speech. 



There was a certain man in the time long ago, by name 
Bokona, whose family name was Bodikito. He went to the 
depths of the forest to do some business. When he was 
about to return in the afternoon to go to his village, he heard 
in advance of him, a noise of conversation. He thought 
that perhaps they were people (of whose presence he was 
not aware; for, there were no villages in that part of the 
forest). But, when he had approached the spot, he did not 
see people; but only a herd of Hogs speaking with the voices 
of people. He was thus perfectly sure that they speak the 
language of Mankind. 

81 



82 WHERE ANIMALS TALK 

TALE 2 
Crocodile 

Persons 

Ngando (Crocodile) Two Children, and Towns- 

People 

Two children were bathing in a river; and a crocodile came 
where they were. It seized one, and, grasping it with its 
teeth, went with it to its hole in the river bank. It did not 
kill him, but said to him, "I leave you here, and I go straight 
back to bring the other one who remained." After the 
crocodile had left, the one thus put into the hole, turning 
his eyes about, saw it full of living fish (kept on hand by 
the crocodile as its food-supply). He saw also that there was 
another opening in the cavity, above, just over his head. 
Climbing up and jumping through it, he rapidly went straight 
away to his village. He related all this incident to the people. 
Then they gladly fired guns, for welcome of the child. 

When the crocodile reached the bathing-place on its 
return, it did not see the one whom it had left there; and it 
was angry. While it was thus angry, the people shot at it 
with guns, but their shots could not even wound it; and it 
went back again to its hole to seek for and eat the child whom 
it had seized. 

When it again entered into the hole and searched, and did 
not find him, it was very angry, and pursued him, going up 
to the very middle of the village. For three days it was 
there barking in the village, and trying to kill some one. 



TALE 3 

Origin of the Elephant 

Persons 

Uhadwe, Bokume and Njaku Towns-People, Sailors and 
Sons of Njambi the Creator Others 



WHERE ANIMALS TALK 83 



NOTE 



I have never seen the place; but, intelKgent natives, 
(though they did not beheve in the legend itself) told me 
there was the likeness to a human foot-print in a rock on the 
beach of the north shore of Corisco Bay. Doubtless a fossil. 



Uhadwe, Bokume, and Njaku were human beings, all three 
born of one mother. (Afterwards Bokume was called 
"Njape.") 

As time went on, Uhadwe called his brethren, Bokume and 
Njaku, and said, "My brothers! Let us separate; myself, 
I am going to the Great Sea; you, Bokume go to the Forest; 
you, Njaku, also go to the Forest." 

Bokume went to the forest and grew up there, and became 
the valuable mahogany tree (Okume). 

Njaku departed; but he went in anger, saying, "I will not 
remain in the forest, I am going to build with the towns- 
people. " He came striding back to the town. As he emerg- 
ed there from the forest, his feet swelled and swelled, and 
became elephant feet. His ear extended 'w^ay down. His 
teeth spreading, this one grew to a tusk, and that one grew 
to a tusk. The towns-people began to hoot at him. And 
he turned back to the forest. But, as he went, he said to 
them, "In my going now to the Forest, I and whatever 
plants you shall plant in the forest shall journey together," 
(i. e., that their plantations should be destroyed by him). 
So Njaku went; and their food went. 

When Uhadwe had gone thence and emerged at the Sea, 
from the place where he emerged there grew the stem of 
"bush-rope" (the Calamus palm); and the staff he held 
became a mangrove forest. The footprints where he and 
his dog trod are there on the beach of Corisco Bay until this 
day. He created a sand-bank from where he stood, extend- 
ing through the ocean, by which he crossed over to the Land 
of the Great Sea. When he reached that Land, he prepared 
a ship. He put into it every production by which white 



84 WHERE ANIMALS TALK 

people obtain wealth, and he said to the crew, "Go ye and 
take for me my brother. " 

The ship came to Africa and put down anchor; but, for 
four days the crew did not find any person coming from shore 
to set foot on the ship, or to go from the ship to set foot 
ashore, the natives being destitute of canoes. 

Finally, Uhadwe came and appeared to the towns-people 
in a dream, and said, "Go ye to the forest and cut down 
Njape, dig out a canoe, and go alongside the ship. " 

Early next morning they went to the forest, and came to 
the Okume trees; they cut one down, and hacked it into 
shape. They launched it on the sea, and said to their young 
men, "Go!" Four young men went into the canoe to go 
alongside the ship. When they had nearly reached it, look- 
ing hither and thither they feared, and they stopped and 
ceased paddling. The white men on the ship made repeated 
signs to them. Then the young men, having come close, 
spoke to the white men in the native language. A white 
man answered also in the same language. That white man 
said, "I have come to buy the tusks of the beast which is here 
in the forest with big feet and tusks and great ears, that is 
called Njaku." They said, "Yes! a good thing!" When 
they were about leaving, the white man advancing to them, 
deposited with them four bunches of tobacco, four bales of 
prints, four caps, and other things. 

When they reached the shore, they told the others, "The 
white men want Njaku's tusks; and also they have things 
by which to kill his tribe." 

The next morning, they went to the white men; they were 
trusted with guns and bullets and powder; they went to the 
forest, and fought with the elephants. In two days the ship 
was loaded, and it departed. 

This continues to happen so until this day, in the Ivory- 
Trade. 



WHERE ANIMALS TALK 85 

TALE 4 
Leopard's Marriage Journey 

Persons 

Njambi (Chief of a Town) Vj^adu (Antelope) 

Nja (Leopard) Ehibo (Red Antelope) 

Etoli (House-Rat) Iheli (Gazelle) 

Mbindi (Wild Goat) Ekwedikwedi (Fire-Fly) 

Leopard wanted to marry, and he sought a betrothal at 
Njambi's town. Secretly, Njambi had arranged with Leo- 
pard that he should bring him no goods in payment of the 
*' Dowry," but only the bodies of animals. 

Leopard agreed, and said to Njambi's daughter, "T will 
dowry you only with animals." He returned to his home 
for a few days; and then he called Rat to escort him to the 
town of his prospective father-in-law. Rat consented. 
And they started on their journey. 

On their way, they came to a wide river; and Leopard said 
to Rat, "Before one crosses this river, he must throw his 
knife into it." Rat threw his knife; and so (apparently) did 
Leopard. They crossed; went on their way, and came to a 
Kuda tree; and they stopped, and began to gather the nuts. 
Leopard drew his knife from its sheath, and splitting the 
nut-shells and eating the kernels, said derisively to Rat, 
*'One who has no knife will not be able to eat kuda." Rat, 
in his helplessness, made no protest. And they went on. 
They came to a certain "Medicine" tree; and Leopard said, 
"Etoli, if I shall fall sick on the way, and I tell you to go 
back and get the bark of a certain tree for medicine, see ! this 
is the tree." Finally, they came to the town of the woman 
whom Leopard was to marry. There, food was cooked for 
them. Just before they were to sit down to eat, Leopard 
exclaimed, "Etoli! I am sick! Go, and get that medicine 
for me!" While Rat was gone, Leopard ate up almost all 
the food, leaving only a few scraps for Rat. 

At night, inside of the entrance of the house where the two 
strangers were to sleep, was a pit already dug. Leopard 



86 WHERE ANIMALS TALK 

knew of it, and jumped over it; but Rat fell into it. Leopard 
shouted to the town's-people, "This is the animal I brought 
to pay on my Dowry! Come, and take him!" The people 
came, caught Rat, and ate him. 

The next morning, Leopard's father-in-law had food pre- 
pared for him; he ate; and returned to his town. There, 
the relatives of Rat asked him, "Where is the little one you 
took to escort you?'' Leopard replied, "He refused to 
return, staying there with the woman." 

Again, Leopard prepared gifts of dried fish and tobacco for 
his mother-in-law, and arranged for another journey. He 
called to his relative, "Brother" Wild-Goat, " Come, escort 
me to the town of my marriage. " Wild Goat consented; and 
they started. They came to the River; and, as in the case of 
Rat, Leopard said to Goat, "You will first throw away your 
knife, before you can cross this river." Goat actually did 
so; Leopard pretending to do so. Continuing their journey, 
they came to that Kuda tree. Leopard was careful to stand 
on a side of the tree opposite to Goat, as they gathered the 
nuts. But, he said provokingly, "One can not eat kuda 
without a knife." Wild Goat innocently replied, "But, 
you, Nja, you are eating nuts ! Did you bring two knives .f^" 
They journeyed on, and came to the Medicine tree. And 
Leopard gave to Goat the same directions about it as he had 
given to Rat. 

When they reached the marriage town, food was set before 
them. But Leopard immediately began to groan and 
scream, "I'm dead! I'm dead! I'm dead with pain!" 
Wild Goat sympathisingly inquired, "What shall I do to 
help you.?" Leopard replied, as in the case of Rat, "Go 
back to that tree, and get its bark as a medicine for me.'' 
Wild Goat went; and while he was away. Leopard ate the 
food, leaving very little of it. On his return. Wild Goat 
protested at so little being given him. Leopard explained, 
"In my great suffering from tooth-ache, I ate nothing. 
Perhaps it was the town's-people who ate up the food, leav- 
ing you only these pieces. " 

After they had eaten, they were called to the reception- 
house, and spent the evening in conversation with the people 
of the town. Then, they were shown to the house in which 
they were to sleep. It was the one with the pit-fall inside 



WHERE ANIMALS TALK 87 

the door- way. Leopard, of course, jumped over it; but 
Wild Goat fell into it. And, as in the case of Rat, Leopard 
called out, "People of the town! This is your dowry-goods! 
I have brought it to you!" The next morning, Leopard 
took his journey, and came back home. When the people 
of his town asked him, as in the case of Rat, "Where is the 
friendyou took with you .^" he made the same reply, "Don't 
ask me! He is entangled off there with women." 

On a third journey. Leopard called Antelope to accompany 
him. Antelope agreed. They came to the River; and as before 
Leopard told how that river could not be crossed by travelers 
unless their knives were thrown away. This, Antelope did. 

Then, they came to the Kuda tree. There, Antelope heard 
Leopard splitting the nuts, and asked him. "Did you not 
throw away your knife.? Do you travel with two.?" Leo- 
pard answered, "Yes! I always travel with two." Then, 
they came to the Medicine tree. And Leopard explained 
about its bark being the cure for his frequent tooth-aches, 
when eating at his father-in-law's town. 

They came to the town. And when food was brought to 
them, Leopard cried out, "O! my tooth! my tooth!" Ante- 
lope asked, "\Miere is your medicine that you said you use?" 
Leopard answered, "At the tree which I showed you on the 
way. Go, and get it. " While Antelope was gone. Leopard 
ate up almost all the food. On returning, Antelope exclaimed 
"What! only this little food for me.?" Leopard explained, 
"With my great tooth-ache, I ate none. Nothing happened, 
except that the town's -people came, and were eating up the 
food; and I, in my kindness for you, begged them to leave at 
least a little for you. " iVntelope handed him the medicine, 
and Leopard said, "Put it down there"; and he threw it 
away, while Antelope's back was turned. 

After they had eaten, they went to their room for the 
night. Leopard, as usual, jumped over the pit; but Antelope 
fell in. And Leopard gave his shout to the people to come 
and take the Dowry-goods he had brought. The next 
morning, after breakfast. Leopard again started on his home 
journey. There, again he was anxiously asked, "But, those 
whom you take with you don't come back! Why.?" He 
made the same reply, "They know why! Off there are 
damsels and dancing; and they were unable to return." 



88 WHERE ANIMALS TALK 

For his next journey, Leopard asked Red Antelope, who 
heartily replied, "Yes, come on! There is nothing to pre- 
vent my going on a journey!" They journeyed, and they 
came to the River. There, Leopard made his statement 
about the necessity of throwing their knives into the river. 
Red Antelope wondered a little, but he consented saying, 
"Yes, but what is that to me?" Said Leopard, "Well, 
then, shut your eyes, and I will be the first to throw, lest you 
say I am deceiving you." Said Red Antelope, "Yes." 
And he shut his eyes tightly. Then Leopard, having a stone 
in his hand, flung it into the water, saying, "I've thrown 
mine; throw also yours!" Red Antelope demanded, "But, 
you must shut your eyes also." Leopard half-closed his 
eyes, and Red Antelope, knife in hand, flung it into the 
water. Then, wading across, they went on and on to the 
base of the Kuda tree. Said Leopard, "Mr. Ehibo, this 
Kuda is eaten of here only by each person on his own side of 
the trunk." Red Antelope assented; and they turned, this 
one to one side, and that one to the other side. There, as 
Red Antelope was vainly trying to crack the nuts with his 
teeth. Leopard was deriding him while himself was comfortably 
using his knife. 

Then, Leopard said, "Let us go on; for, the day is declin- 
ing." Red Antelope agreed. As they went, they came 
to an Ebwehavu tree. And Leopard said, "Let us climb for 
Bebwehavu fruits. But, when we climb this particular tree, 
it is the practice here, to climb, one by one. While the one 
is climbing, the other has his eyes shut; and, the climbing is 
done, not by the trunk, but by this adjoining Bongo tree 
which you see here. But, first, close your eyes, and I will 
go up." (The Bongo's trunk is covered with hard sharp 
thorns.) Red Antelope stood, with his eyes tightly closed. 
Leopard grasped a vine; and, with one swing, he at once was 
up the tree. Red Antelope began climbing that Bongo, 
creeping slowly to the top, his whole body spoiled, and 
nothing on him but blood and blood. 

Said Leopard, "This Ebwehavu is accustomed to be 
plucked only the green unripe, but the dark ripe ones are 
to be left." That seemed strange to Red Antelope, never- 
theless he said, "Yes." But Leopard was plucking the ripe 
and leaving the green. When they had finished plucking. 



WHERE ANIMALS TALK 89 

Leopard said, " Ehibo ! shut eyes ! that I may descend ! " Red 
Antelope shut his eyes. Leopard grasped the vine; and, 
with one spring, was on the ground. Then, he said, "Now, 
Ehibo, descend." Red Antelope began descending by the 
Bongo, down, down, landing finally on the ground. 

Leopard waited for him; and then said, "Having no fire, 
how shall we cook those green bebwehavu.^^" Just then, he 
saw a Fire-fly passing; and he said. "Mr. Ehibo! Pursue! 
That's fire passing there!" Red Antelope bent in rapid pur- 
suit. Leopard turned to the base of the tree, gathered dried 
fire-wood, struck his flint, lighted a fire, cooked his fruits, 
ate them, finished, and put out his fire. Red Antelope, 
back again, said, "I did not reach it, I'm tired," Leopard 
said, "Well, let it go. I chewed mine uncooked. But, let 
us journey; and, as you go, you chew yours." They went 
on, and came to the town of the marriage. Food was cooked 
and set for them in their room. Said Leopard, "Ehibo, sit 
you on the floor, while I eat at the table. And, while I eat 
the flesh, you eat the bones. " Red Antelope had become so 
utterly wearied and humiliated that he did not resent this 
indignity. They ate. And then Leopard said, "Ehibo, 
sweep up the scraps, and go and throw them into the back 
yard." (Immediately on his arrival at the town, Leopard 
had gone alone to his father-in-law, and said, "I have brought 
you an animal. But, let another pit, this time, be dug in 
the back yard of the room where we shall be. And, do you 
put spears and daggers and all kinds of sharp sticks there. 
When I shall send him to throw away the sweepings, and he 
shall fall in, kill ye him. ") 

Red Antelope swept, and scraped up the sweepings, and 
threw them into a basket. He turned with them to the 
back yard, to fling them away. As he was about to do so, 
he slipped down to the bottom of the pit. Impaled on the 
spears, he was unable to jump out. When the town's-people 
arrived, they thrust him through with sharp poles; and he 
lay dead. 

When Leopard returned home, Red Antelope's people 
asked, "Where is Ehibo .^^ " Leopard made his former answer, 
"Ehibo was hindered by the hospitality of that marriage 
town, with its food and its women; and, he said, 'I won't go 
back!'" 



90 WHERE ANIMALS TALK 

Thus, with each journey, Leopard called for another 
animal. They went, over the same route; and the same 
things happened each time. So, matters went on for a long 
while. But, Gazelle, a very smart beast, began to suspect, 
observing that none of Leopard*s travel-companions ever 
came back. In his heart, he thought to himself, "Leopard 
deceives people!" He determined to find out, by offering 
to go, and watch for himself. At last, he said, "Uncle Nja, 
let me go to escort you to the town of your marriage. When 
next you go on your journey, call me to go with you. " Said 
Leopard, "I don't want you." (He suspected Gazelle's 
smartness.) Gazelle insisted, "Uncle, as to these others 
whom you have invited to go with you, and not the rather 
me, your relative?" 

So, Leopard agreed, "Yes, let us go." By the next morn- 
ing they started on their journey, going on and on, clear to 
the big River. There, as usual, Leopard told about knives 
to be thrown into the river; and he said, "Nephew Iheli, you 
first throw your knife." Said Gazelle, "First, you throw 
yours, then I will throw mine also." Said Leopard, "Well! 
shut your eyes!" Gazelle half-closed his hands on his eyes, 
and was peeping. He saw Leopard seize a chunk of wood 
and fling it in the water. Then he said, "Shut eyes! Let 
me also throw mine!" Leopard's eyes shut tight. Gazelle, 
seizing a stick, flung it into the water. Then, they crossed 
the river, and went on and on, until they came to the base of 
the Kuda tree. Leopard made his usual statement about 
parties eating the nuts on opposite sides of the tree. Gazelle, 
with apparent obedience, said, "'Yes." Leopard, with knife 
drawn, began to hack and split the nuts, throwing the kernels 
into his mouth, and making his usual derisive remark, "By 
the truth! a person without a knife can not eat the kernels 
of kuda. " Gazelle also, hacking his, and throwing them into 
his mouth, said, "Just exactly so! a person without a knife 
can not eat the kernel of kuda-nut!" Leopard exclaimed, 
"What are you doing .f^ Have you two knives?" Gazelle 
replied, "But, what are you doing? Had you two knives?" 
Leopard answered, "Yes, for, I am the senior." Gazelle 
responded, "And I also carry two knives; for, I also am an 
adult." Leopard only said, "IheH! Come on!" They 
went on, until they came to the Ebwehavu tree. There, 



WHERE ANIMALS TALK 91 

Leopard made his usual explanation of climbing only by 
means of the Bongo tree. Gazelle agreed, and said, "Yes; 
climb you first. " Leopard said, " Shut your eyes. " Gazelle 
stood, with eyes apparently tightly closed. With one swing 
on a vine. Leopard is up the tree. Said Gazelle, "You also, 
shut your eyes. Let me go up." Leopard pretended to 
shut his eyes. And Gazelle, with one swing, was also up the 
tree. Leopard made his usual statement about plucking 
only the green fruit. To which. Gazelle seemed to assent. 

And they descended the tree, without Leopard attempting 
to deceive Gazelle about the Bongo tree. 

But, Leopard seeing the sun going down, said, "Iheli! 
Pursue! that's fire that's going there!" But, Gazelle showed 
he was not deceived, by simply saying, "That's not fire!" 
So, Leopard gathered fire- wood; and they cooked and ate 
their bebwehavu. 

Then, they resumed their journey, and came to the Medi- 
cine tree. There Leopard told his usual story about the 
bark of that tree being his great cure-all. Gazelle quietly 
said, "Yes." But, when they left the tree, and had gone a 
short distance farther, he exclaimed, "O! I forgot my 
staff! I must go back and get it!" He went back to the 
tree, stripped bark from it, put it into his traveling-bag, and 
overtook Leopard. And they came on together to the town. 
After they had entered their house. Gazelle remarked to 
Leopard, "Let me go out and see the other fellows, who came 
with you on your previous journeys, and who, you said, had 
stayed here with the women." He went out; and returned, 
saying, " I saw the women, but none of those fellows. " Food 
was cooked for them, and they sat down to eat. But, sud- 
denly. Leopard broke out in groans, "Iheli! I feel a pain 
in my stomach; go, get bark of that tree I showed you. The 
medicine! Get the medicine!" Gazelle answered "Yes, 
but just wait until I finish my plate;" and he continued 
eating rapidly. leopard was distressed to see the food dis- 
appearing; but, as he had pretended sickness, he did not 
dare begin to eat. When, finally there was but little food 
left. Gazelle introduced his hand into his bag, and, handing 
out the pieces of bark, said, "Here's your medicine! That's 
it!" Leopard said, "Yes, just leave it there. I do not need 
the medicine now. The pain has ceased. Let us first eat. 



92 WHERE ANIMALS TALK 

We will eat together. " After finishing their eating, Gazelle 
swept up the scraps, and placed them in a basket. Said 
Leopard, "Come, I will go with you to show you the place 
where sweepings are to be thrown." Gazelle was about to 
fling the basket, as Leopard came to push him into the pit. 
But, Gazelle lightly leaped across to the other side of it, and 
cried out, " Uncle ! what do you want to do to me? " Leopard 
said, "That's nothing!" 

It being night, they went to their sleeping-room. Leopard 
accompanied by his wife. He and she carefully jumped 
over the other pit that was inside of the door- way of that 
house. Gazelle also jumped, with careful observation, the 
while that people stood outside expecting him to fall into it. 
They retired for the night. Leopard and his wife on the bed; 
Gazelle on a mat on the floor. Said Gazelle, " Uncle, if you 
hear me stertorously snoring, then I am awake; but, if silently, 
then I am asleep." In a little while. Gazelle feigned gentle 
snoring. Leopard thinking Gazelle was alseep, took an iron 
rod, and thrust it into the fire. Gazelle saw what he was 
doing. When it was red-hot, he removed it, and, stepping 
softly, was about to stab Gazelle with it; who, quickly mov- 
ing aside, exclaimed, "Eh! what are you doing.?" Leopard 
coolly replied, "Nothing; I was only brushing away an 
insect that was biting you." Gazelle thought within him- 
self, "Nja will surely kill me to-night." So, he took chalk, 
and secretly marked circles around his eyes, making himself 
look as if his eyes were open and he awake, even if he should 
actually be asleep. After a while. Leopard slept, sound 
asleep with his wife. Then Gazelle passed over to Leopard's 
bed, and lifting the woman (unconscious in her sleep) to his 
mat on the floor, laid down in her place, beside Leopard in 
the bed. During the night. Leopard awoke, and, not notic- 
ing, in the darkness, the change at his side, went with the 
rod, to the mat where he supposed Gazelle was sleeping, and 
stabbed the woman to death. 

Then Gazelle (who had remained awake) cried out, "Eh! 
you kill another person? You are killing your wife!" Leo- 
pard exclaimed, "Umph! Is that you? I said to myself that 
this was you!" Gazelle said, "Yes! what did you go to my 
bed for? So, then ! I am the one you wanted to kill ! " Leo- 
pard confessed, "It is true that I came here to kill you, 



WHERE ANIMALS TALK 93 

thinking this was you. But, as the matter is thus, say no 
more about it. Let us cut up and eat this woman. Come, 
cut up!" But, Gazelle said, "1? When the town's-people 
hear the chopping, then won't they say, '\Miat animal has 
Iheli killed in his brother-in-law's town, that he is cutting it 
up at night.?' Yourself, cut her to pieces." 

So, Leopard said, "Well, leave the work on the body of 
the woman to me; but, do you attend to the cooking. " Said 
Gazelle, "I? \Mien the town's people shall hear the kettle 
boiling, then will they say, *Whom has Iheli killed in the 
town of his brother-in-law, that he cooks at night'.?" 

Leopard boiled the kettle. It was cooked; and he said to 
Gazelle, "Go, cut down a bunch of plantains, out there in 
the back-yard." (This he said, hoping that Gazelle would 
fall into that pit, either in going out or coming in.) But, 
Gazelle said, "I.? WTien the town's people hear the strokes of 
the machete, and the crash of the fall of the bunch, then, will 
they not suspect me, and say, 'What meat has Iheli killed, 
that he is cutting down a plantain at night?' Cut it your- 
self." Leopard went and cut down a bunch of plantains, 
and said to Gazelle, "Now, come and peel the plantains, and 
cook them." Gazelle refused, "No; do you peel and cook. 
I'm in bed. I'll eat only greens." Then Leopard said 
(making a last effort to get Gazelle into the pit), "Well, go 
to the back-yard, and pluck pepper for the soup." Gazelle 
again refused, "No: when the town's-people hear the pluck- 
ing of the pods, will they not say, 'What animal has Iheli 
killed that he is gathering pepper for the soup.? ' " 

Finally, Leopard, having done all the work, and finished 
cooking, and set the table, said, "Come, Iheli, I have finished 
all. Come, and eat." Gazelle came, but said, "First, 
put out all the lights." Leopard did so. And Gazelle 
added, "We will understand that whichever, at the close 
of the meal, has the largest pile of bones by his plate, shall be 
known as the one who killed the woman." Leopard agreed. 
The light having been extinguished, they ate in darkness. 
But, while they were eating. Gazelle chose only the bony 
pieces that had little meat; and, having picked them, he 
quietly laid the bones by Leopard's plate. When they had 
finished eating, the torches were re-lighted, and Gazelle 
cried out at Leopard's big pile of bones. They were counted. 



94 WHERE ANIMALS TALK 

And Gazelle said, "Did you not say that whoever had the 
most bones would prove himself the murderer? So! indeed! 
you are the one who killed another person's child!" 

Leopard evaded, and said, "But, Iheli, take a broom and 
sweep up the scraps from the floor, and throw them into the 
yard." (Making thus a final effort to get Gazelle into that 
pit.) But, Gazelle, refused, "No; yourself do it. When 
the town's-people hear the bones falling as they are thrown 
in the yard, will they not suspect me, and say, ' What animal 
has Iheli killed at night, that he is clearing away the scraps?' " 
Leopard swept up the floor and table, and threw the pieces 
into the backyard. As they were finishing, day began to 
dawn. Gazelle said, "Nja, the day is breaking; let us seek 
hiding-places; for, when the people come in, in the morning, 
and find that their daughter is dead, lest they kill us. " So, 
they began to look around for hiding-places. Gazelle said, 
"I shall hide in this big box on the floor." But, Leopard 
objected, "No; that traveling-box befits me; and, as the elder, 
I shall take it." Gazelle said, then, "Well, I'll hide under 
the bed." But, Leopard again objected (hoping to leave 
Gazelle without a place). "No; that also is my place; it 
suits me." Gazelle protested, "You are claiming this and 
that place! Where shall I go? Well! I see! I'U^ hide 
over the door." "Yes" said Leopard, "that's the hiding- 
place for a young person like you." (This he said, still 
thinking of the pit near the door.) Gazelle agreed, saying, 
"I am here, by the door. You get into that box, and I'll 
tie it with a string, as if no one was in it. " Leopard objected, 
"But, the string will hinder my breaking out." "No," 
replied Gazelle, "it shall be a weak twine. You can easily 
burst it, when you fling up the lid, and jump out, and run 
away. " 

Leopard got into the box, and Gazelle began to tie it with a 
heavy chain. Leopard hearing the clanking, exclaimed, 
"With a chain, Iheli?" Gazelle had the chain fast; and he 
coolly replied, "It's only a little one." Then he piled 
heavy stones on the box. As day broke, he took his stand 
among a bundle of dried plantain-leaves that was over the 
door-way. The towns-people sent a child to open the door 
of the strangers' house, to call them to eat. As the child was 
about to enter, Gazelle struck him a blow on the head; and the 



WHERE ANIMALS TALK 95 

child went away wailing with pain. The child's father said 
to his family that he would go to see what was the matter. 
As he pushed wide open the door of the strangers' house, 
Gazelle slid down, sprang out, and ran rapidly away, shout- 
ing, "Nja is there! Nja is in that box! He it is who has 
killed your woman!" And the towns-people shouted after 
him, "Is that so.^ Well, you're off, Iheli! Go!" 

Leopard, when he heard that, made desperate efforts to 
get out of the box. The town's-men entered the house and 
found the box with Leopard tied in it. They fired their 
guns at him, and killed him. As they did so, they reproached 
him, "Why did you kill our daughter, whom you came to 
marry .f^" Then they gathered together a great pile of fire- 
wood in the street, thrust on to it the dead body of Leopard, 
and burned him there. Gazelle went back to the town of 
Beasts, and they asked him, "Where is he with whom you 
went on your journey?" Gazelle told them, "He is dead. 
He it was who killed the other Beasts who went with him. 
And he is now killed by the relatives of the woman whom he 
was to marry, but whom also he had murdered. " 

For this reason, that Gazelle informed on Leopard in the 
box, the relatives of Leopard since then have no friendship 
with Gazelle, and always pursue and try to kill him. The 
entire Leopard tribe have kept up that feud with the Gazelle 
tribe, saying, "You caused our father's death." And they 
carry on their revenge. 



TALE 5 

Tortoise in a Race 

Persons 
Kudu (Tortoise) Mbalanga (Antelope) 

NOTE 

Discussions about seniority are common causes of quarrel 
in Africa. The reason assigned why tortoises are so spread 
everywhere is that the antelope tribe, in public-meeting, 



96 WHERE ANIMALS TALK 

recognized their superiority. At Batanga, Gaboon, Ogowe, 
and everywhere on the equatorial west coast, there are 
tortoises even in places where there are no other animals. 
On account of this, the tortoise is given many names; and 
has many nicknames in the native tribes, e. g., "Manyima," 
and "Evosolo." 



Tortoise had formerly lived in the same town with several 
other animals. But, after awhile, they had decided to sepa- 
rate, and each built his own village. 

One day, Tortoise decided to roam. So he started, and 
went on an excursion; leaving his wife and two children in 
the village. On his way, he came to the village of Antelope. 
The latter welcomed him, killed a fowl, and prepared food 
for him; and they sat at the table, eating. 

When they had finished eating, Antelope asked, "Kudu! 
My friend, what is your journey for?" 

Tortoise answered, "I have come to inquire of you, as to 
you and me, which is the elder?" Antelope replied, "Kudu! 
I am older than you!" But Tortoise responded, "No! I am 
the elder!" Then Antelope said, "Show me the reason why 
you are older than I!" Tortoise said, continuing the dis- 
cussion, "I will show you a sign of seniority. Let us have a 
race, as a test of speed. " Antelope replied derisively, " Aiye! 
how shall I know to test speed with Kudu? Does Kudu 
race?" However, he agreed, and said, "Well! in three days 
the race shall be made. " 

Tortoise spoke audaciously, "You, Mbalanga, cannot 
surpass me in a race!" Antelope laughed, having accepted 
the challenge; while Tortoise pretended to sneer, and said, 
"I am the one who will overcome!" 

The course chosen, beginning on the beach south of Batan- 
ga, was more than seventy miles from the Campo River 
northward to the Balimba Country. 

Then Tortoise went away, going everywhere to give 
directions, and returned to his village. He sent word secretly 
to all the Tortoise Tribe to call them. When they had come 
very many of them together, he told them, "I have called 
my friend Mbalanga for a race. I know that he can surpass 



WHERE ANIMALS TALK 97 

me in this race, unless you all help me in my plan. He will 
follow the sea-beach. You all must line yourselves among 
the bushes at the top of the beach along the entire route all 
the way from Campo to Balimba. When Mbalanga, coming 
along, at any point, looks around to see whether I am follow- 
ing, and calls out, "Kudu! where are you.^^" the one of you 
who is nearest that spot must step out from his place, and 
answer for me, "Here!" 

Thus he located all the other tortoises in the bushes on the 
entire route. Also, he placed a colored mark on all the 
tortoises, making the face of every one alike. He stationed 
them clear on to the place where he expected that Antelope 
would be exhausted. Then he ended, taking his own place 
there. 

Antelope also arranged for himself, and said, to his wife, 
"My wife! make me food; for. Kudu and I have agreed on a 
race; and it begins at seven o'clock in the morning. " 

When all was ready, Antelope said, to (the one whom he 
supposed was) Kudu, "Come! let us race!" They started. 
Antelope ran on and on, and came as far as about ten miles 
to the town of Ubenji, among the Igara people. At various 
spots on the way Tortoise apparently was lost behind; but 
as constantly he seemed to re-appear, saying, "I'm here!" 

At once, Antelope raced forward rapidly, pu ! pu ! pu ! to a 
town named Ipenyenye. Then he looked around and said, 
"Where is Kudu?" A tortoise stepped out of the bushes, 
saying "Here I am! You haven't raced." 

Antelope raced on until he reached the town of Bey a. 
Again looking around, he said, "Where is Kudu.^" A tor- 
toise stepped out, replying, "I'm here!" 

Antelope again raced, until he reached the town Lolabe. 
Again he asked, "Where is Kudu?" A tortoise saying to 
himself, "He hasn't heard anything," replied, "Here 
lam!" 

Again Antelope raced on as far as from there to a rocky 
point by the sea named Ilale-ja-moto; and then he called, 
"Wherever is Kudu?" A tortoise ready answered, "Here 
I am!" 

From thence, he came on in the race another stretch of 
about ten miles, clear to the town of Bongaheli of the Batanga 
people. At each place on the route, when Antelope, losing 



98 WHERE ANIMALS TALK 

sight of Tortoise, called, "Kudu! where are you?" promptly 
the tortoise on guard at that spot replied, "I'm here!" 

Then on he went, steadily going, going, another stretch of 
about twenty miles to Plantation Beach. Still the prompt 
reply to Antelope's call, "Kudu, where are you?" was, "I'm 
here!" 

As he started away from Plantation, the wearied Antelope 
began to feel his legs tired. However, he pressed on to 
Small Batanga, hoping for victory over his despised contest- 
ant. But, on his reaching the edge of Balimba, the tortoise 
was there ready with his, "I'm here!" 

Finally, on reaching the end of the Balimba settlement, 
Antelope fell down, dying, froth coming from his mouth, 
and lay dead, being utterly exhausted with running. But, 
when Tortoise arrived, he took a magic-medicine, and restored 
Antelope to life; and then exulted over him by beating him, 
and saying, "Don't you show me your audacity another day 
by daring to run with me! I have surpassed you!" 

So, they returned separately to their homes on the Campo 
River. Tortoise called together the Tortoise Tribe; and 
Antelope called all the Antelope Tribe. And they met in a 
Council of all the Animals. Then Tortoise rose and spoke — 
"All you Kudu Tribe ! Mbalanga said I would not surpass 
him in a race. But, this day I have surpassed!" 

So the Antelope Tribe had to acknowledge, "Yes, you, 
Kudu, have surpassed our champion. It's a great shame to 
us; for, we had not supposed that a slow fellow such as we 
thought you to be, could possibly do it, or be able to out- 
run a Mbalanga. " 

So the Council decided that, of all the tribes of animals, 
Tortoise was to be held as greatest; for, that it had out-run 
Antelope. And the Animals gave Tortoise the power to rule. 



WHERE ANIMALS TALK 99 

TALE 6 

Goat's Tournament 

Persons 

Tomba (Goat) Nja (Leopard) 

NOTE 

The reason why leopards wander everywhere, and fight 
all other animals, is their shame at being overcome by a goat. 
Their ancestor had said, "I did not know that a Goat could 
overcome me." 



The Tribe of Goats sent a message to the Tribe of Leopards, 
saying, "Let us have a Wrestling Match, in an effort to see 
which is the stronger." Then Leopard took counsel with his 
Tribe, "This Tribe of Goats! I do not see that they have 
any strength. Let us agree to the contest; for, they can do 
nothing to me. " 

So, the Goat Tribe gathered all together; and the Leopard 
Tribe all together; and they met in a street of a town, to 
engage in the drumming and dancing and singing usually 
preceding such contests. 

For the wrestling, they joined in thirty pairs, one from 
each tribe. The first pair wrestled; and the representative 
of the Leopards was overcome and throw^n to the ground. 
Another pair joined; and again the Leopard champion was 
overcome. A third pair joined and wrestled, contesting 
desperately; the Leopard in shame, and the Goat in exultation. 
Again the Leopard was overcome. 

There was, during all this time, drumming by the ad- 
herents of both parties. The Leopard drum was now beaten 
fiercely to encourage their side, as they had already been 
overcome three times in succession. 

Then, on the fourth effort, the Leopard succeeded in over- 
coming. Again a pair fought; and Leopard overcame a 
second time. The sixth pair joined; and Leopard said, 



100 WHERE ANIMALS TALK 

"Today we wrestle to settle that doubt as to whicli of us is 
the stronger. " 

So, pair after pair wrestled, until all of the thirty arranged 
pairs had contested. Of these, the Leopard tribe were 
victors ten times; and the Goat Tribe twenty times. 

Then the Leopard tribe said, "We are ashamed that the 
report should go out among all the animals that we beat 
only ten times, and the Tomba twenty times. So, we will 
not stay any longer here, with their and our towns near to- 
gether:" for they knew that their Leopard tribe would always 
be angry when they should see a company of Goats passing, 
remembering how often they were beaten. So, they moved 
away into the forest distant from their hated rivals. In 
their cherished anger at being beaten, and to cover their 
shame, Leopard attacks a Goat when he meets him alone, 
or any other single beast known to be friendly to the 
Goats, e. g,, Oxen or Antelopes. 



TALE 7 

Why Goats Became Domestic 



Tomba- Ya-Taba (Goat) Nja (Leopard) 

With EtoH, plural BetoH (Rat) Ko (Wild-Rat) 

Vyadu (Antelope, plural La- Njaku (Elephant) 

du) Mankind 
Nyati (Ox) 

Goat and his mother lived alone in their village. He said 
to her, "I have here a magic-medicine to strengthen one in 
wrestling. There is no one who can overcome me, or cast 
me down; I can overcome any other person." 

The other Beasts heard of this boast; and they took up 
the challenge. First, house-Rats, hundreds of them, came 
to Goat's village, to test him. And they began the wrest- 
ling. He overcame them, one by one, to the number of two 
hundred. So, the Rats went back to their places, admitting 
that they were not able to overcome him. 



WHERE ANIMALS TALK 101 

Then, forest-Rat came to wrestle with Goat. He over- 
came them also, all of them. And they went back to their 
own place defeated. 

Then, the Antelope came to wrestle with Goat. He over- 
came all the Antelopes, every one of them; not one was able 
to withstand him. And they also went back to their 
places. 

Also, Elephant with all the elephants, came on that same 
challenge. Goat overcame all the Elephants; and they too, 
went back to their place. 

Thus, all the Beasts came, in the same way, and were 
overcome in the same way, and went back in the same way. 

But, there still remained one Beast, only one. Leopard, 
who had not made the attempt. So he said he would go; 
as he was sure he could overcome. He came. Goat over- 
came him also. So, it was proved that not a single beast 
could withstand Goat. 

Then the Father of AU-the-Leopards said, "I am ashamed 
that this Beast should overcome me. I will kill him!" And 
he made a plan to do so. He went to the spring where Man- 
kind got their drinking-water. And he stood, hiding at the 
spring. Men of the town went to the spring to get water; 
Leopard killed two of them. The people went to tell Goat, 
"Go away from here, for Leopard is killing Mankind on 
your account." The Mother of Goat said to him, "If that 
is so, let us go to my brother Vyadu." So they both went 
to go to Uncle Antelope. And they came to his village. 
When they told him their errand, he bravely said, "Remain 
here! Let me see Nja come here with his audacity!" 

They were then at Antelope's village, about two days. 
On the third day, about eight o'clock in the morning. Leo- 
pard came there as if for a walk. When Antelope saw him. 
Goat and his mother hid themselves; and Antelope asked 
Leopard, "What is your anger .^ Why are you angry with 
my nephew.^" 

At that very moment while Antelope was speaking, Leo- 
pard seized him on the ear. Antelope cried out, "What 
are you killing me for?" Leopard replied, "Show me the 
place where Tomba-Taba and his mother are." So, Ante- 
lope being afraid said, "Come tonight, and I will show you 
where they sleep. And you kill them; but don't kill me. " 



102 WHERE ANIMALS TALK 

While he was saying this, Goat overheard, and said to his 
mother, ''We must flee, lest Nja kill us." So, at sun-down, 
that evening. Goat and his mother fled to the village of Ele- 
phant. About midnight, Leopard came to Antelope's 
village, according to appointment, and looked for Goat, but 
did not find him. Leopard went to all the houses of the 
village, and when he came to Antelope's own, in his disap- 
pointment, he killed him. 

Leopard kept up his search, and followed to find where 
Goat had gone. Following the tracks, he came to the village 
of Elephant. When he arrived there. Elephant demanded, 
"What's the matter.?" And the same conversation was 
held, as at Antelope's village, and the incidents happened as 
at that village, ending with Elephant's being killed by Leo- 
pard. For, Goat and his mother had fled, and had gone to 
the village of Ox. 

Leopard followed, and came to Ox's village. There all the 
same things were said and done, as in the other villages, and 
ending with Goat and his mother fleeing, and Ox being killed. 

Then, the mother, wearying of flight, and sorry at causing 
their entertainers to be killed, said, "My child! if we con- 
tinue to flee to the villages of other beasts, Nja will follow, 
and will kill them. Let us flee to the homes of Mankind. " 

So, they fled again, and came to the town of Man, and told 
him their story. He received them kindly. He took Goat 
and his mother as guests, and gave them a house to live in. 

One time, at night. Leopard came to the town of Man, in 
pursuit of Goat. But Man said to Leopard, "Those Beasts 
whom you killed, failed to find a way in which to kill you. 
But, if you come here, we will find a way." So, that night, 
Leopard went back to his village. 

On another day. Mankind began to make a big trap, with 
two rooms in it. They took Goat and put him in one room 
of the trap. Night came. Leopard left his village, still 
going to seek for Goat; and he came again to the town of Man. 
Leopard stood still, listened, and sniffed the air. He smelled 
the odor of Goat, and was glad, and said, "So! this night I 
will kill him!" 

He saw an open way to a small house. He thought it was 
a door. He entered, and was caught in the trap. He could 
see Goat through the cracks in the wall, but could not get 



WHERE ANIMALS TALK 103 

at him. Goat jeered at him, "My friend! you were about 
to kill me, but you are unable. " 

Daybreak came. And people of Man's town found Leo- 
pard in the trap, caught fast. They took machetes and 
guns, and killed him. Then Man said to Goat, "You shall 
not go back to the Forest; remain here always." 

This is the reason that Goats like to live with mankind, 
through fear of Leopards. 



TALE 8 
Igwana 's Forked Tongue 

Persons 

Ngambi (Igwana) Vyadu (Antelope) 

Nja (Leopard) Iheli (Gazelle) 

Betoli (Rats) Ehibo (Red Antelope) 

NOTE 

Natives believe that the Igwana kills with its long tongue. 
This story assigns the fear of leopards as a reason why Igwa- 
nas like to live near water. Igwanas swim readily, while 
leopards (as all the cat-tribe) do not like even to wet their 
feet. 



There were two friends, Igwana and Leopard, living in 
the same village, one at each end. Igwana had six wives; 
Leopard also had six. Leopard begot twenty children; 
Igwana had eight. One time, at night, they were sitting 
with their wives and children in the street, in a conversation. 
Leopard said to Igwana, "Ngambi! I have a word to say to 
you. " Igwana said, " Speak. " 

Then Leopard said, "I wish you and me to have our food 
together." Igwana agreed, "Well." And Leopard ar- 
ranged, "For two months, you shall come and eat in my 
house; and then, for two months, I at your house." 



104 WHERE ANIMALS TALK 

And they separated, to go to their houses for sleep. 

Soon the night passed, and day broke. 

Leopard went to the forest and killed an Antelope. He 
and Igwana and their families spent four days in eating it. 

On another day. Leopard went to the forest and killed a 
Gazelle. It also was finished in four days. 

And again, Leopard went to the forest, and killed a Red 
Antelope. They were occupied in eating it also four 
days. 

So, they continued all the two months. Then Leopard 
said, "Ngambi! it is your time to begin the food." Igwana 
replied, "I have no wild meat, only vegeta^bles. " 

On the following day, Igwana got ready his food and sent 
word for Leopard to come to eat. He came and ate, there 
being on the table only vegetables and salt. Then the day 
darkened; and, in the evening they all came together in one 
place, as usual. Leopard said to Igwana, "I began my turn 
with meats in my house, and you ate them. I cannot eat 
only vegetables and salt." Igwana explained, "I do not 
know the arts for killing beasts." Leopard told him, "Be- 
gin now to try the art of how to catch beasts." Igwana 
replied, "If I begin a plan for catching Beasts, that plan 
will be a dreadful one. " Leopard exclaimed, " Good ! begin ! " 

Igwana promised, "Tomorrow I will begin." 

And they all went to their houses to sleep their sleep. 
The night passed, and day broke. 

Igwana started out very early in the morning. On the 
way, he came to a big tree. He stood at its base, and, with 
a cord, he loosely tied his own hands and feet around the tree. 
Then he began to squeak as if in pain, "Hwa! hwa! hwa!" 
three times. 

At that same time, a child of Leopard had gone wandering 
out into the forest. He found Igwana tied to the tree and 
crying. Igwana said to him, "Ah! my child ! come near me, 
and untie me." 

The child of Leopard came near to him; and then Igwana 
thrust his forked tongue into the nostrils of young leopard, 
and pulled his brains out, so that the child died. Then 
Igwana untied himself, skinned the young leopard, divided 
it, tied the pieces in a big bundle of leaves, and took them 
and the skin to the village. There he gave the meat to his 



WHERE ANIMALS TALK 105 

wife, who put it in a pot. And lie went to his house, and 
left the skin hanging in his bedroom. 

Then when the meat was cooked, he sent word for Leopard 
to come and eat. Leopard came and sat down at the table, 
and they ate. As they were eating. Leopard said, "Ah! my 
friend! You said you did not know how to catch beasts! 
What is this fine meat.^' 

Igwana replied, "I am unable to tell you. Just you eat 
it." So, they ate, and finished eating. Igwana continued 
that way for two weeks, killing the young leopards. 

At that Leopard said to himself, "I had begotten twenty 
children, but now I find only ten. Where are the other ten.^^ " 
He asked his children where their brothers were. They 
answered that they did not know, "Perhaps they were lost 
in the forest." The while that Igwana was killing the 
young leopards, he had hidden their skins all in his bed- 
room. 

On another day, Leopard and Igwana began a journey 
together to a place about forty miles distant. Before he 
started, Igwana closed his house, and said to his children, 
"Nja and I are going on a journey; while I am away, do not 
let any one enter into my bedroom." And they two went 
together on their journey. They reached their journey's 
end, and were there for the duration of seven days. While 
they were gone, there was no one to get meat for their people, 
and there came on their village a great njangu (hunger for 
meat) . 

One of those days, in the village, so great was that famine 
that the children of Leopard were searching for rats for food. 
The rats ran away to the house of Igwana that was shut up; 
and the children of Leopard pursued. But the children of 
Igwana said to them, "Do not enter the house! Our father 
forbade it! Stop at the door-way!" 

But the young leopards replied, "No! all the Betoli have 
run in there. We must follow." So, they broke dowTi the 
door. There they found skins of young leopards, and they 
exclaimed, "So! indeed! Ngambi kills our brothers!" And 
two days later, the two fathers came back to the village. 

The young igwanas told their father that the young leo- 
pards had broken the door, and found leopard-skins hanging 
inside. Igwana asked them, " Really .^^ They saw.^^" The 



106 WHERE ANIMALS TALK 

young igwanas answered, "Yes! they saw!" Then Igwana 
said, "Be on your guard! For, Nja will be angry with me." 

Also, the young leopards said to their father, "Paia! so it 
is that Ngambi killed our brothers. We saw their skins in 
his bedroom." Leopard asked, "Truly?" They answered, 
" Yes ! we saw ! " He said only, " Well, let it be. " 

On another day, Leopard said, "This night I will go to 
Ngambi to kill him and all his children." The wife of 
Igwana heard this, and told him, "Tonight, Nja will come to 
kill you and our children. " At this, Igwana said to himself 
" But ! we must flee, I, and my children, and my wives ! " So, 
they all went and hid in the water of a small stream. 

Leopard came, in the dark of the morning, to Igwana's 
house, and entered it; but he saw no people, only the skins 
of his children. So he exclaimed, "At whatever place I 
shall see Ngambi, I will kill and eat him. We, he and I, 
have no more friendship!" 



TALE 9 

What Caused their Deaths? 

Persons 

Mbwa (Dog) Kudu (Tortoise) 
Mbala (Squirrel) 

note 

Dog and squirrel were of the same age, and they met with 
the same end. They each had an object of their special 
liking, the excessive use of which finally was the cause of 
their death. 



Dog, Squirrel, Tortoise and others were living in one town. 
They all, at that time, ate of the same kind of food. But, 



WHERE ANIMALS TALK 107 

they were at peace in that village during only two weeks. 
Then Squirrel and Dog said to Tortoise, "Let us divide, and 
have peace each at our separate villages. You, Kudu, and 
the others can stay at this spot if you like. " 

Squirrel said he would remove to a place about three miles 
distant north. Dog went about three miles in the opposite 
direction. So, each had his own little hamlet. 

On another day, Squirrel said to his wife, " I am going on a 
journey to see my friend Mbwa. " He started, came to 
Dog's place, and entered the house. Dog welcomed him, 
played with him, and killed a fowl for their dinner. With 
Squirrel had come one of his wives. 

While the women were cooking inside the house. Dog and 
Squirrel were sitting in the ikenga (reception-room). They 
were conversing there. After awhile. Dog said to Squirrel 
"Excuse me, I will go to see about the food." He went in- 
side, and lay down near the fire, and Squirrel was left alone. 

Dog stayed there inside the house, until the food was 
cooked. Then he came out to his friend, and began to set 
the table, while the women came in with the food, and put 
it on the table. Dog drew up by the table ready to eat; and 
Squirrel also; and Squirrel's wife, and Dog's wife also, mak- 
ing four at the table. 

During the eating. Squirrel said to Dog, " My friend ! when 
you left me here in the ikenga, where did you go to, the while 
that the women were cooking the food.^^" Dog answered, 
" Ah ! my friend, you know that I like fire very much. While 
we were talking here, you and I, cold seized me. " 

Then Squirrel said, "Ah! my friend, you like fire too much; 
I think you will die of fire some day. " 

They finished the food; and after that, Squirrel prepared 
his return journey to his village. And he said to Dog, " My 
friend Mbwa, how many days before you shall come to my 
place?" Dog answered, "In two days, then will I come. " 

So, Squirrel returned to his village. His wives and child- 
ren told him the daily news of what had occurred in the 
village while he was away. And he told them about what 
he had seen at Dog's. And he added, "But, there is one 
thing I noticed; my friend Mbwa likes fire very much." 

He waited the two days; Dog came on his visit; and Squir- 
rel killed a fowl for his guest. And he bade his woman cook 



108 WHERE ANIMALS TALK 

the fowl. In the meanwhile, Dog and Squirrel sat in the 
ikenga conversing. Presently Squirrel said to Dog, "Excuse 
me, I am going. I will return. " 

Squirrel went out into his garden, and climbed up a banana 
stalk, and began eating the ripe fruit at the top of the bunch. 
After awhile, he came down again. And he went into the 
ikenga to prepare the table for the food. When it was 
ready, Dog sat up at the table. With him were his wife, and 
Squirrel and Squirrel's wife. 

Presently, Dog inquired of Squirrel, "My friend! when 
you left me sitting here alone, where did you go to.^^ " Squir- 
rel answered, "My friend! you know I like to eat bananas. 
So, I was up the tree," Then Dog said, "My friend! you 
love bananas too much; some day, you will die with them. " 

When they had finished their food. Dog said, "I am on 
my return to my village." So he returned thither. But 
he was arrived there only two days when he happened to 
fall into the fire-place. And he died in the fire. The news 
was carried to his friend Squirrel, "Your friend Mbwa is 
dead by fire." Squirrel replied, "Yes, I said so; for he 
loved fire too much. " 

On another day, in Man's town, a person went to look for 
food at his banana tree. And he saw that the fruit was 
eaten at the top, by some animal. So, that Man made a 
snare at the Banana tree. On the next day, Squirrel said to 
himself, "I'm going to eat my banana food wherever I shall 
find it. " 

He came to the town of Man, and climbed the tree. The 
snare caught and killed him; and he died there. The Man 
came and found the body of Squirrel; and he exclaimed 
"Good!" 

The news was carried to the village of Squirrel's children, 
"Your father is dead, at a banana tree." 

And they said, "Yes; for our father loved bananas very 
much. He had said that Mbwa would die by fire because 
he loved fire. And himself also loved bananas. " 



WHERE ANIMALS TALK 109 

TALE 10 

A Quarrel About Seniority 

Persons 
Ihendi (Squirrel) Pe (Viper) 

And 2 Children { }tf "(HlfpT^''"''''^ ^ ^"°^*'' 



NOTE 

This story suggests that when a neighbor flatters another, 
suspicion is raised that he is plotting some evil. Squirrel 
and the Adder professed great friendship; but their friend- 
ship was soon broken. 

Claims of seniority are a constant cause of native quarrels. 

A certain fetish-charm or "medicine" (generally poisonous) 
is supposed to be able to decide, on its being drunk by accused 
parties, as to their guilt or innocence. 

There is a common behef in premonitions by unusual 
beats of the heart, or twitching of any muscle. 



Squirrel and Adder were great friends, living in the same 
town. Each of them had two wives. 

One day, in the afternoon, Squirrel and one of his wives 
went into the house of Adder. The latter said to his wife, 
"Make ready food." So, she made a great deal of food. 
Then he said to his friend Squirrel, "Come, eat!" But 
Squirrel said, "I won't eat alone without my wife." So he 
called his wife to eat. His wife came and ate at the table. 
Then he said to Adder, "Also, you call your wife to eat with 
us." So Adder's wife came. And Squirrel said to Adder, 
"Now let us eat; for, everything is right." So they began 
to eat. 

While they were eating. Adder said, "I have a word to say 
about you, Ihendi." Squirrel replied, "Speak your word; 



110 WHERE ANIMALS TALK 

I will listen." Then Adder asked, "You, Ihendi, and I, Pe; 
which is the elder? And your wife and my wife; also which 
is the elder?" Squirrel replied, "I am the elder, and my 
wife is older than your wife." But Adder said, "No! I am 
the elder; and my wife is older than yours." Squirrel re- 
sponded, "I will give you my answer tomorrow in my own 
house. " This occurred in the evening. 

Then the day darkened, and Squirrel went to his house to 
lie down. Adder also went to lie down in his bedroom. 

In the night, Squirrel remarked to his wife, "My wife! 
what sort of a word is this that Pe has spoken about so to 
me? I don't know about his birth, and he does not know 
of mine. We have no other person in the town who is able 
to decide which of us is the elder, and which the younger. 
This question has some affair behind it. " His wife replied 
"I think that Pe wants to get up a quarrel in order to kill 
you or our children. " Squirrel had two children, one named 
Vengeance and the other Help. Squirrel replied to his wife, 
"No! I will have no discussion with Pe; but tomorrow there 
shall be only a test of Medicine. " 

Soon the day broke. Squirrel sent word to Pe, "Chum! 
you and I will have today nothing else but a medicine-test 
and no quarrel. For, you and I profess to love each other. 
I do this to prove both yourself and myself, lest you get up 
some affair against me, even though we love each other very 
much." Adder consented, "Yes; get the Medicine. I will 
know then what I shall say. " 

Squirrel went to the forest to get leaves and bark of a 
certain tree for the kwai (test). On his return, he said to 
Adder, "Here is the test; let us drink of it. " Adder replied, 
"The Medicine is of your getting. You first drink of it." 
Squirrel agreed, "Yes, I will drink first." 

So, Squirrel, conscious of his innocence, drank the test 
and swore an oath, "If I meet Pe's mother, it shall be only 
in peace. Or his father, only peace; or his children, only 
peace." Squirrel added, "I have finished speaking for my 
part." And he sat down on the ground. 

Then Adder arose from his seat and stood up. And he 
exclaimed, "Yes! let it be so!" He took up the medicine 
from the ground; and he drank of it greedily. And he swore, 
"If I meet with the children of Ihende, it will be only to 



WHERE ANIMALS TALK 111 

swallow them. Or, father of Ihende, only to eat him; or 
mother of Ihende, only to eat her!" Then he sat down. 

But, Squirrel exclaimed, "Ha! my friend! you saw how I 
drank my share of the medicine, and I have not spoken thus 
as you. For what reason have you thus spoken?" Adder 
answered, '* Yes ! I said so; and I will not alter my words. " 

They dispersed from the medicine ordeal, and went each 
to his house. Then that day darkened into night. And 
they all went to their sleep. 

Soon the next day broke. Squirrel and his wife prepared 
for a journey to the forest to seek food. He said to his wife, 
"Leave the children in the house." So the woman shut 
them in, and closed the doors tight. And he and she went 
off to the forest. 

Later on in the morning. Adder arose from his place, and 
he said to himself, "I'm going to stroll over to the house of 
my friend Ihende." So he came to Squirrel's house, and 
found no one there. He tried to break in the door; finally, 
he succeeded in opening it; and he entered the house. He 
found the two children of Squirrel lying together asleep. 
He shook them, and they awoke. He asked them, "Where 
is my friend.'^" They answered, "Our father and mother 
have gone to the forest. " 

Then Adder suddenly joined the two children together 
and swallowed them. (They were both of them lads.) 
Then he went out of the house, and closed the door. His 
stomach being distended with what he had swallowed, he 
went back to his house, and laid down on his bed. 

Off in the forest, Squirrel said to his wife, "My heart beats 
so strangely! I have eaten nothing here; what should dis- 
turb my heart?" His wife replied, "Well! let us hasten 
back to town. Perhaps some affair has happened in our 
house!" 

They hastily gathered their food, to go back rapidly to 
town. On their arrival, they went at once to their house. 
Looking at the door, the wife exclaimed, "I did not leave 
this door so! Who has been at it?" Her husband urged, 
"Quickly! Open the door! Let us enter at once!" They 
opened the door; and found no one in the house. 

Then Squirrel, fearing evil, said to her, " Stay you here ! I 
will go over to Pe's house. I know that fellow!" He came 



112 WHERE ANIMALS TALK 

to Adder's house, and found him distended with this stomach. 
Squirrel asked him, "Chum! have you been at my house?" 
Adder answered, "Yes, I went to your house; but I have 
done nothing there." Squirrel asked him, feeling sure of 
his guilt, "But, where then are my children.'^ Why did you 
not leave even one of them.^ Ah! my friend!" Adder 
replied, "When we drank the Test, did I not swear the truth 
that if I met with your children, I would swallow them?' 
Squirrel answered, "Yes! and you have kept your word well! 
But you shall see something just now and here!" Adder 
laughed, and said, " What can you do? You have no strength 
like mine." 

Close by the house of Adder (which was only a hole in the 
ground) was a large tree. Squirrel went out of the house, 
and climbed to the top of the tree. There he began to wail 
for his dead, and cried out, " Ikundu ja ma ! Ikundu ja ma ! " 
(A play on words : either an apostrophe to the name of one of 
his children, or a prayer for vengeance). Another squirrel, 
that was a mile or two away, heard the wailing; and it came 
to where Squirrel was. Also his wife followed Squirrel to 
that tree; and she wailed too. And other squirrels came; 
about twenty. 

A hunter, living in the town of Mankind, started from 
his town to go hunting. Coming along the path, he heard 
Squirrel crjdng. Looking up, he exclaimed, "O! how many 
squirrels!" He thought to himself, "Why do these animals 
make this noise, and keep looking down at the foot of this 
big tree?" 

He approached near to the tree; and they dispersed among 
the branches. He then said to himself, "I will look around 
here at the bottom; for, as those squirrels continue their 
cry, they keep looking down here." Searching at the foot 
of the tree, he saw a hole, like the home of some beast. Look- 
ing in, he saw the Adder sluggish in his distention. The 
hunter killed it with his machete. And he took the dead 
adder with him to the town of Mankind. 

Squirrel, from the tree-top, shouted after dead Adder, 
"You have seen my promised Ikundu." (Another play on 
words; either — "You saw my child;" or, "You see my 
Vengeance. ") 



WHERE ANIMALS TALK 113 

TALE 11 

The Magic Drum 

Persons 

Kudu (Tortoise) Nja (Leopard) 

King Maseni, A Man Ngama (A Magic Drum) 

NOTE 

The reason is here given why the turtle tribe of tortoises 
Hkes to Hve only in water; viz., their fear of the vengeance of 
the descendants of Leopard the King, because of the whipping 
to which he was subjected by the trick of the ancestor of the 
tortoises. 



In the Ancient days, there were Mankind and all the 
Tribes of the Animals living together in one country. They 
built their towns, and they dwelt together in one place. In 
the country of King Maseni, Tortoise and Leopard occupied 
the same town; the one at one end of the street, and the other 
at the other. 

Leopard married two women; Tortoise also his two. 

It happened that a time of famine came, and a very great 
hunger fell on the Tribes covering that whole region of 
country. So, King Maseni issued a law, thus : — "Any person 
who shall be found having a piece of food, he shall he brought 
to me." (That is, for the equal distribution of that food.) 
And he appointed police as watchmen to look after that 
whole region. 

The famine increased. People sat down hopelessly, and 
died of hunger. Just as, even today, it destroys the poor; 
not only of Africa, but also in the lands of Manga-Manene 
(White Man's Land). And, as the days passed, people 
continued sitting in their hopelessness. 

One day. Tortoise went out early, going, going and entering 
into the jungles, to seek for his special food, mushrooms. 



114 WHERE ANIMALS TALK 

He had said to his wife, "I am going to stroll on the beach 
off down toward the south. " As he journeyed and journeyed, 
he came to a river. It was a large one, several hundred feet 
in width. There he saw a coco-nut tree growing on the 
river-bank. When he reached the foot of the tree, and 
looked up at its top, he discovered that it was full of very 
many nuts. He said to himself. "I'm going up there, to 
gather nuts; for, hunger has seized me." He laid aside his 
traveling-bag, leaving it on the ground, and at once climbed 
the tree, expecting to gather many of the nuts. He plucked 
two, and threw them to the ground. Plucking another, and 
attempting to throw it, it slipped from his hand, and fell 
into the stream running below. 

Then he exclaimed, *'I've come here in hunger; and does 
my coco-nut fall into the water to be lost-f^" He said to him- 
self, "I'll leave here, and drop into the water, and follow the 
nut." So, he plunged down, splash! into the water. He 
dove down to where the nut had sunk, to get it. And he 
was carried away by the current. Following the nut where 
the current had carried it, he came to the landing-place of a 
strange Town, where was a large House. People were there 
in it. And other people were outside, playing. They called 
to him. From the House, he heard a Voice, saying "Take 
me ! take me ! take me ! " (It was a Drum that spoke.) 

At the landing-place was a woman washing a child. The 
woman said to him, "What is it that brought you here.^ 
And, Kudu, where are you going?" He replied, "There is 
great hunger in our town. So, on my way, I came seeking 
for my mushrooms Then it was that I saw a coco tree; 
and I climbed it; for, I am hungry and have nothing to eat. 
I threw down the nuts. One fell into the river. I followed 
it; and I came hither. " Then the woman said, "Now then, 
you are saved." And she added, "Kudu! go to that House 
over there. You will see a Thing there. That Thing is a 
Drum. Start, and go at once to where the Drums are. " 

Others of those people called out to him, "There are many 
such Things there. But, the kind that you will see which 
says, 'Take me! take me!' do not take it. But, the Drum 
which is silent and does not speak, but only echoes, 'wo-wo- 
wo, ' without any real words, you must take it. Carry it 
with you, and tie it to that coco tree. Then you must say 



WHERE ANIMALS TALK 115 

to the Drum, 'Ngama! speak as they told to you!'" So, 
Tortoise went on, and on, to the House, and took the Drum, 
and, carrymg it, came back to the river bank where the 
Woman was. She said to him, "You must first try to learn 
how to use it. Beat it!" He beat it. And, a table ap- 
peared with all kinds of food! And, when he had eaten, he 
said to the Drum, "Put it back ! " And the table disappeared. 

He carried the Drum with him clear back to the foot of 
the coco tree. He tied it with a rattan to the tree, and then 
said to the Drum, "Ngama! do as they said!" Instantly, 
the Drum set out a long table, and put on all sorts of food. 
Tortoise felt very glad and happy for the abundance of food. 
So he ate and ate, and was satisfied. Again he said, " Ngama ! 
do as they said!" And Drum took back the table and the 
food to itself up the tree, leaving a little food at the foot; and 
then came back to the hand of Tortoise. He put this little 
food in his traveling-bag, and gathered from the ground the 
coco-nuts he had left lying there in the morning, and started 
to go back to his town. He stopped at a spot a short dis- 
tance in the rear of the town. So delighted was he with his 
Drum that he tested it again. He stood it up, and with the 
palm of his hand struck it, tomu! A table at once stood 
there, with all kinds of food. Again he ate, and also filled his 
traveling-bag. Then he said to a tree that was standing near 
by, "Bend down!" It bowed; and he tied the Drum to its 
branch; and went off into the town. The coco-nuts and the 
mushrooms he handed to his women and children. After he 
had entered his house, his chief wife said to him, "Where 
have you been all this long while since the morning .f^" He 
replied evasively, "I went wandering clear down to the 
beach to gather coco-nuts. And, this day I saw a very fine 
thing. You, my wife, shall see it!" Then he drew out the 
food from the bag, potatoes, and rice, and beef. And he 
said, "The while that we eat this food, no one must show any 
of it to Nja," So, they two, and his other wife and their 
family of children ate. 

Soon day darkened; and they all went to go to sleep. And 
soon another day began to break. At day-break. Tortoise 
started to go off to the place where was the Drum. Arrived 
there, he went to the tree, and said to the Drum, "Ngama! 
do as they said!" The Drum came rapidly down to the 



116 WHERE ANIMALS TALK 

ground, and put out the table all covered with food. Tor- 
toise took a part, and ate, and was satisfied. Then he also 
filled the bag. Then said he to the Drum, "Do as you did!" 
And Drum took back the things, and went up the tree. On 
another day, at day-break, he went to the tree and did the 
same way. 

On another day, as he was going, his eldest son, curious to 
find out where his father obtained so much food, secretly 
followed him. Tortoise went to where the Drum was. 
The child hid himself, and stood still. He heard his father 
say to the tree, "Bend!" And its top bent down. The 
child saw the whole process, as Tortoise took the Drum, 
stood it up, and with the palm of his hand, struck it, ve! 
saying, "Do as you have been told to do!" At once a table 
stood prepared, at which Tortoise sat down and ate. And 
then, when he had finished, saying, "Tree! bend down," it 
bent over for Drum to be tied to it. He returned Drum to 
the branch; and the tree stood erect. 

On other days, Tortoise came to the tree, and did the same 
way, eating; and returning to his house; on all such occasions, 
bringing food for his family. One day, the son, who had 
seen how to do all those things, came to the tree, and said to 
it, "Bow down." It bowed; and he did as his father had 
done. So Drum spread the table. The child ate, and fin- 
ished eating. Then said he to Drum, " Put them away ' " 
And the table disappeared. Then he took up the Drum, 
instead of fastening it to the tree, and secretly carried it to 
town to his own house. He went to call privately his brothers, 
and his father's women, and other members of the family. 
When they had come together in his house, at his command, 
the Drum did as usual; and they ate. And when he said to 
the Drum, "Put away the things!" it put them away. 

Tortoise came that day from the forest where he had been 
searching for the loved mushrooms for his family. He said 
to himself, "Before going into the town, I will first go to the 
tree to eat. " As he approached the tree, when only a short 
distance from it, the tree was standing as usual, but the 
Drum was not there! He exclaimed, "Truly, now, what is 
this joke of the tree.^^" As he neared the foot of the tree, 
still there was no Drum to be seen! He said to the tree, 
"Bow down!" There was no response! He passed on to 



WHERE ANIMALS TALK 117 

the town, took his axe, and returned at once to the tree, in 
anger saying, "Lest I cut you down, bend!" The tree stood 
stilL Tortoise began at once with his axe chopping, Ko! 
ko! The tree fell, toppling to the ground, tomu! He said 
to it, "You! produce the Drum, lest I cut you in pieces!" 
He split the tree all into pieces ; but he did not see the Drum. 
He returned to the town ; and, as he went, he walked anxiously 
saying to himself, "Who has done this thing?" When he 
reached his house, he was so displeased that he declined to 
speak. Then his eldest son came to him, and said, "O! my 
father! why is it that you are silent and do not speak? What 
have you done in the forest? What is it?" He replied, 
"I don't want to talk." The son said, "Ah! my father! 
you were satisfied when you used to come and eat, and you 
brought us mushrooms. I am the one who took the Drum. " 
Tortoise said to him, "My child, now bring out to us the 
Drum." He brought it out of an inner room. Then Tor- 
toise and the son called together all their people privately, 
and assembled them in the house. They commanded the 
Drum. It did as it usually did. They ate. Their little 
children took their scraps of potatoes and meat of wild- 
animals, and, in their excitement, forgot orders, and went 
out eating their food in the open street. Other children saw 
them, and begged of them. They gave to them. Among 
them were children of Leopard, who went and showed the 
meat to their father. 

All suddenly. Leopard came to the house of Tortoise, and 
found him and his family feasting. Leopcard said, "All! 
Chum! you have done me evil. You are eating; and I and 
my family are dying with hunger!" Tortoise replied, "Yes, 
not today, but tomorrow you shall eat." So, Leopard re- 
turned to his house. 

After that, the day darkened. And they all went to lie 
down in sleep. Then, the next day broke. 

Early in the morning. Tortoise, out in the street, announced, 
"From my house to Nja's there will be no strolling into the 
forest today. Today, only food." 

Tortoise then went off by himself to the coco tree (whither 
he had secretly during the night carried the Drum). Arrived 
at the foot of the tree, he desired to test whether its power 
had been lost by the use of it in his town. So, he gave the 



118 WHERE ANIMALS TALK 

usual orders; and they were, as usually obeyed. Tortoise 
then v/ent off with the Drum, carrying it openly on his 
shoulder, into the town, and directly to the house of Leopard, 
and said to him, "Call all your people! Let them come!" 
They all came into the house; and the people of Tortoise 
also. He gave the usual commands. At once, Drum pro- 
duced abundance of food, and a table for it. So, they all 
ate, and were satisfied. And Drum took back the table to 
itself. Drum remained in the house of Leopard for about 
two weeks. It ended its supply of food, being displeased at 
Leopard's rough usage of itself; and there was no more food. 
Leopard went to Tortoise, and told him, "Drum has no more 
food. Go, and get another." Tortoise was provoked at 
the abuse of his Drum, but he took it, and hung it up in his 
house. 

At this time, the watchmen heard of the supply of food at 
Leopard's house, and they asked him about it. He denied 
having any. They asked him, "Where then did you get 
this food which we saw your children eating.^" He said, 
"From the children of Kudu." The officers went at once 
to King Maseni, and reported, "We saw a person who has 
food. " He inquired, " Who is he.^ " They rephed, " Kudu. " 
The King ordered "Go ye, and summon Kudu." They 
went and told Tortoise, "The King summons you." Tor- 
toise asked, "What have I done to the King.f^ Since the 
King and I have been hving in this country, he has not 
summoned me." Nevertheless, he obeyed and journeyed 
to the King's house. The King said to him, "You are 
keeping food, while all the Tribes are dying of hunger.? You! 
bring all those foods!" Tortoise rephed, "Please excuse 
me ! I will not come again today with them. But, tomorrow, 
you must call for all the tribes. " 

The next morning, the King had his bell rung, and an order 
announced, "Any person whatever, old or young, come to 
eat!" The whole community assembled at the King's 
house. Tortoise also came from his town, holding his Drum 
in his hand. The distant members of that Tribe, (not 
knowing and not having heard what that Drum had been 
doing) twitted him, "Is it for a dsmce?'' 

Entering into the King's house. Tortoise stood up the 
Drum; with his palm he struck it, ve! saying, "Let every 



WHERE ANIMALS TALK 119 

kind of food appear!" It appeared. The town was like a 
table, covered with every variety of food. The entire com- 
munity ate, and were satisfied; and they dispersed. Tor- 
toise took the Drum, and journeyed back to his town. He 
spoke to his hungry family, ''Come ye!" They came. 
They struck the Drum; it was motionless; and nothing came 
from it! They struck it again. Silent! (It was indignant 
at having been used by other hands than those of Tortoise.) 
So, they sat down with hunger. 

The next day. Tortoise went rapidly off to the coco tree, 
climbed it, gathered two nuts, threw one into the river, 
dropped into the stream, and followed the nut as he had done 
before. He came as before to that landing-place, and to the 
Woman, and told her about the failure of the Drum. She 
told him that she knew of it, and directed him to go and take 
another. He went on to that House, and to those People. 
And they, as before, asked him, "Kudu! whither goest 
thou?" He replied, "You know I have come to take my 
coco-nut." But they said, "No! leave the nut, and take a 
Drum." And, as before, they advised him to take a silent 
one. So, he came to the House of Drums. These called to 
him, "Take me! take me!" Then, he thought to himself, 
"Yes! I'll take one of those Drums that talk. Perhaps 
they will have even better things than the other. " So, he 
took one, and came out of the House, and told those People 
"I have taken. And, now, for my journey." 

He started from the landing-place, and on up the river, 
to the foot of the coco-tree. He tied the Drum to the tree 
with a cord, as before, set it up, and gave it a slap, ve ! And 
a table stood there! He said, "Ngama! do as you usually 
do!" Instantly, there were thrown down on the table, 
mbwa! whips instead of food. Tortoise, surprised, said, 
"As usual!" The Drum picked up one of the whips, and 
beat Tortoise, ve! He cried out with pain, and said to the 
Drum, "But, now do also as you do. Take these things 
away. " And Drum returned the table and whips to itself. 
Tortoise regretfully said to himself, "Those People told me 
not to take a Drum that talked ; but my heart deceived me. " 

However, a plan occurred to him by which to obtain a 
revenge on Leopard and the King for the trouble he had 
been put to. 



120 WHERE ANIMALS TALK 

So, taking up the Drum, he came to his own town, and 
went at once to the house of Leopard. To whom he said, 
*' To-morrow come with your people and mine to the town 
of King Maseni." Leopard rejoiced at the thought, "This 
is the Drum of food!" 

Then Tortoise journeyed to the King's town, and said, 
"I have found food, according to your order. Call the 
people tomorrow. " 

In the morning, the King's bell was rung, and his people, 
accompanied by those of Tortoise and Leopard, came to his 
house. Tortoise privately spoke to his own people, "No 
one of you must follow me into the house. Remain outside 
of the window. " 

Tortoise said to the King, "The food of today must be 
eaten only inside of your house." So, the King's people, 
with those of Leopard, entered into the house. There, Tor- 
toise said, "We shall eat this food only if all the doors and 
windows are fastened." So, they were fastened (excepting 
one which Tortoise kept open near himself). Then, the 
Drum was sounded, and Tortoise commanded it, "Do as 
you have said." And, the tables appeared. But, instead 
of food, were whips. The people wondered, "Ah! what do 
these mean? Where do they come from.?" Tortoise sta- 
tioned himself by the open window, and commanded the 
Drum, "As usual!" Instantly the whips flew about the 
room, lashing everybody, even the King, and especially 
Leopard. The thrashing was great, and Leopard and his 
people were crying with pain. Their bodies were injured, 
being covered with cuts. 

But, Tortoise had promptly jumped out of the window- 
And, standing outside, he ordered, "Ngama! do as you do!" 
And the whips and tables returned to it, and the whipping 
ceased. But, Tortoise knew that the angry crowd would 
try to seize and kill him. So, taking advantage of the con- 
fusion in the house, he and his people fled to the water of the 
river, and scattered, hiding among the logs and roots in the 
stream. As he was disappearing. Leopard shouted after 
him, "You and I shall not see each other! If we do, it will 
be you who will be killed!" 



WHERE ANIMALS TALK 121 

Tale 12 

The Lies of Tortoise 

Persons 

Nja (Leopard) Embonda (Prairie Antelope) 

Kudu (Tortoise) Iheli (Gazelle) 

Etoli (Rat) Ngando (Crocodile) 

Ngomba (Porcupine) 

NOTE 

African natives climb the palm-tree, cut out a cavity in 
the heart at the leafy top, and fasten a vessel below the 
cavity, to catch the sweet, milky juice that exudes. This is 
unintoxicating. But, like cider, it becomes intoxicating if 
kept a few days. The cutting destroys the tree in two or 
three months. 



The beginning of this tale is that Leopard went to the 
forest, to cut an itutu tree (bamboo-palm) for palm- wine. 
After he had fastened the bowl at the cavity he had cut at 
the top in the heart of the tree, then he came back to town. 

Tortoise came along to that palm-wine tree; and he climbed 
to the top. There he found that the sap had already col- 
lected in the bowl. And he drank three tumblerfuls. Ex- 
cited by his success, he shouted out aloud, "I'm drunk! I'm 
drunk!" 

Off in the forest, Wild Rat heard his voice, and, following 
the sound, came to the place. To Tortoise, Rat said, " Whose 
wine-tree is this.^^" Tortoise replied, "My own!" So, Rat 
begged of him, "Give me a glassful!" Tortoise told him 
"Chmb up! Of what are you afraid.?" So, Rat cUmbed 
up the tree. He also drank two glassfuls. 

Presently, Tortoise heard Leopard coming, and he said 
to Rat. " Await me here, I 'm just going down to the ground." 



122 WHERE ANIMALS TALK 

When he reached the ground, Tortoise hid his body in a hole 
at the base of the tree. 

In a very httle while, Leopard arrived at the tree. He 
lifted up his eyes to the top and saw Rat there. To him 
Leopard said, "Who owns this palm-tree?" Rat replied, 
"My Chum, Kudu." But, Leopard asked, "This Kudu, 
where is he.^" Then Leopard flung one of his claws at Rat. 
It stuck in him, and Rat fell dead. 

Leopard took Rat's body and went away with it to his 
town. And he said to his wife, " Cook this; this is our meat. " 

Soon after Leopard had gone from the tree, Tortoise came 
out of his hiding, and climbed the tree a second time. Then, 
having drank again, he shouted, as before, "I'm drunk! I'm 
drunk!" 

In his hole off among the rocks. Porcupine heard Tortoise 
shouting; and he came to the tree, and asked for a drink. 
Tortoise told him to climb; adding, "What are you afraid 
of .^ " So, Porcupine followed Tortoise up the tree, and drank 
two glassfuls of the wine. 

Again Tortoise heard Leopard coming, recognizing the 
thud of his steps as he leaped on the way. So, Tortoise 
cried out, as if in pain, " O! my stomach hurts me! I'm going 
down!" At the base, he hid himself again in the cavity of 
the tree. 

In a little while. Leopard appeared standing at the foot 
of the tree. Looking up, he saw Porcupine there. And he 
inquired, "Ngomba! who owns this tree?" Porcupine 
answered, "Chum Kudu!" Leopard asked, "This Kudu, 
who is he? I want to see him. " Porcupine replied, "Kudu 
has gone off, his stomach paining him." Then Leopard 
exclaimed, "So! indeed! you are the ones who use up all my 
wine here!" And he added, "What day I shall meet Kudu 
I do not know. But, that day we will meet in fight." 
While he was saying all this, Tortoise, in the hole at the tree, 
heard. 

Then Leopard threw a claw at Porcupine. Porcupine 
fell down to the ground a corpse. Leopard taking it, went 
away with it to his town, and said to his wife, "Cook this 
meat, and let us eat it. " 

After Leopard had left the tree, Tortoise emerged from 
his hiding-place. He climbed the tree a third time, and 



WHERE ANIMALS TALK 123 

took a cup, and drank two glassfuls. Again he shouted, 
" I, Kudu, I 'm drunk ! I, Kudu, I 'm drunk ! " 

Out on a prairie, Antelope heard the shouting; and he came 
to the tree. Seeing Tortoise, he said, "Chum, give me a 
glass of wine!" Tortoise directed him, "Climb up! Of 
what are you afraid?" So, Antelope went up the tree, and 
drank. 

Soon Tortoise heard Leopard coming, bounding through 
the forest. And Tortoise said to Antelope, " Chum ! my bow- 
els pain me; I'll soon return." He descended, and hid his 
body as before. Leopard arrived as before. And he spoke 
to Antelope; and then killed it with another of his claws. 
He took its carcass to his town, and bade his wife cook it, as 
had been done with the others. 

After Leopard had gone from the tree. Tortoise climbed 
the tree a fourth time, again he drank; and again he shouted, 
changing his words slightly, "I've drank! I've drank!" 

In the jungle, Gazelle heard, and came to the base of the 
tree, but said nothing. Tortoise spoke first, " O ! my nephew ! 
the wine is finished ! " Gazelle asked, " Who owns this tree? " 
Tortoise answered, "It's my own, and not another's." 

When he came from the jungle. Gazelle had brought with 
him a bag. As Gazelle still stood at the foot of the tree. 
Tortoise said to him, "Come up here! What do you fear?" 
So, Gazelle climbed; but went up only half-way. 

While the two were thus apart, and before Gazelle had 
drunk any of the wine, Tortoise heard Leopard coming, 
leaping through the bushes. Then Tortoise said to Gazelle, 
"Ah! nephew! let me pass! My stomach hurts me!" But 
Gazelle said, "No! uncle, let us stay and drink." Tortoise 
heard Leopard nearing the tree; and he said to Gazelle, "Ah! 
Hurry! Let me pass! How my stomach hurts!" Gazelle 
said, "No! uncle, we'll go down together." 

While they were thus talking. Leopard reached the foot 
of the tree. Then Gazelle took Tortoise and hid him in the 
bag. Leopard exclaimed, "Iheh! who owns this tree?" 
Gazelle replied, "This is the palm-wine tree of my uncle." 
Leopard asked, "Who is your uncle?" Gazelle answered, 
"Kudu." 

So, Leopard began to prepare to climb the tree, in order 
to fight with Gazelle. Then Gazelle put his hand into the 



124 WHERE ANIMALS TALK 

bag, and drew out Tortoise, tightly grasped in his hand. And 
he flung Tortoise violently into Leopard's face. Leopard 
fell to the ground, dazed with the blow, while Gazelle leaped 
to the gr(^und, and fled off in the forest. 

When Leopard rose from the earth, he found Tortoise 
sprawling helpless on its back. Leopard tied a string to him, 
and went away with him to town. And he said to his wife, 
"My wife! this is the person who drinks at my wine-tree!" 
So he suspended him by the string,waiting to kill him next day. 

The day began to darken towards night; and they went 
to their sleep. 

Then came the daylight of next morning. 

Leopard said to his wife, "I'm going to a palaver (council) 
at a place three miles distant. Take Kudu and cook him 
with udika (gravy of kernels of wild mango). When I come 
back, let me find the food all ready to be eaten at once. " 

So, Leopard went on his journey. And his wife remained 
to do her work. But, she exclaimed, "Ah! I forget what my 
husband told me!" Tortoise, overhearing her said, "Your 
husband said, 'Take the dried Etoli from the shelf, and cook 
it with udika; give it to Kudu, and let him eat it; and then 
take Kudu and wash him in the water of the brook. ' " The 
woman gladly listened, and said, "Eh! Kudu! you remember 
well what my husband said to me!" 

So, she did about the food as Tortoise had reported, and 
gave it to him to eat. When Tortoise had finished eating, 
the woman went with him to wash him in the water at the 
edge of the brook. While she was doing this. Tortoise 
asked, "Throw me off into the water where it is deep." 
The woman did so. And Tortoise shouted, "So! you will 
die this day by your husband's hands!" The woman began 
to see her mistake, and she begged Tortoise, "Come! let us 
go back to town. " But Tortoise said, "I shan't come! I'm 
here safe in my place down in the bottom of the stream. " 

Then the woman went back to her town; and as she went, 
she went crying. 

Late in the day, Leopard returned from the discussions 
of the Council. And he said to his wife, "O! my wife! I'm 
just dying of hunger!" She told him, "Ah! my husband! 
Kudu has run away!" Leopard, in his anger, flung a claw 
at her; and she died on the spot. 



WHERE ANIMALS TALK 125 

Tortoise, in the meanwhile, went as fast as he could under 
the water of the stream. And he came to the house of Croc- 
odile, and crept into the doorway. Crocodile, in tears, 
met him with the words, '*Ah! Kudu! I'm just dying here 
with grief and crying." Tortoise asked her, "What is the 
matter.^ " She told him, " I 've laid a hundred eggs, but none 
of them had children in them." Tortoise replied, "That's 
my work, the causing of eggs to have children. Shall I do 
it.^" Crocodile consented, "Yes, I've here three hundred 
other eggs; you may make them have children." Tortoise 
told her, " I 'm the only one to do that thing. " So, Crocodile 
said, "Go into this room, and do it." 

Tortoise went into the room, found the eggs there; and 
said to Crocodile, "Give me here a kettle, also firewood and 
water. Give me my food here. For, I will not go out of this 
house; I will go out only at the time when I shall have 
caused the eggs to have children." Crocodile agreed, say- 
ing, "Yes, I am willing. It is well." And she gave direc- 
tion to her people, "Give Kudu all the things he has asked 
for there. " 

Then Tortoise locked all the doors, and stayed inside the 
room. He began to arrange the fire-wood, and set the 
kettle and put water in it. In the afternoon, he took twenty 
eggs, and cooked, and ate them with his food. 

At night, all went to sleep. 

At daybreak, he cooked twenty more eggs, and ate them; 
at noon he cooked and ate more; and at evening supper, he 
cooked and ate some more. So, he spent about seven days 
in eating all the eggs. Then he called out to Crocodile 
"Do you want to hear the little crocodiles talk.^" Crocodile 
replied, "Yes! I want to hear!" Tortoise took two pieces 
of broken plates, and scraped one across the other, making 
a rasping sound. Crocodile and the people of the town 
heard the squeaking sounds, and they exclaimed in joy. 
"So! So, So!" They replied to Tortoise, "We hear the 
little ones talking!" Tortoise also told them, "Tomorrow, 
then, I will make a Medicine to cause them to talk loudly. " 
But Crocodile began to have some doubts. And day dark- 
ened to night. 

Very early in the next morning. Crocodile's doubts having 
increased, she rose up without calling her people. And she 



126 WHERE ANIMALS TALK 

went slowly alone to peep through a crack into the room of 
Tortoise. She saw only the piles of egg-shells; and she 
wondered, "Where are the little ones?" Then she went 
softly back to her own room; and she told the townspeople, 
*' Get up ! Let us open the room of Kudu ! " 

They all got up, and they went to the house. They broke 
the room door by force; and they found Tortoise sitting 
among the scattered shells of the eggs. The Crocodile 
exclaimed, "Kudu! have you deceived me? Your life too 
ends today!" 

They tied Tortoise, and put him in the kettle; and they 
killed him there. They divided his flesh onto their plates. 
And Crocodile and her people ate Tortoise. 

This is the end of the lies of Tortoise. 



TALE 13 

"Death Begins by Some One Person": A Proverb 

Persons 

Ka (A Very Big Snail) Lonani (Birds) 

Ngambi (Igwana) Kema (Monkeys) 

Kudu (Tortoise) A Man 

note 

Trouble came to all these animals, even to the innocent, 
through the noise of some of them. Igwanas are supposed, 
by the natives, to be deaf. 



Snail, Igwana and Tortoise all lived together in one vil- 
lage. One day, Tortoise went to roam in the forest. There 
he found a large tree called Evenga. He said to himself, "I 
will stay at the foot of this tree, and wait for the fruit to 
fall. " During two days, he remained there alone. 



WHERE ANIMALS TALK 127 

On the third day, Igwana said to Snail, "I must go and 
search for our Chum Kudu, wherever he is." So, Igwana 
went; and he found Tortoise in a hole at the foot of that 
tree. Igwana said to him, "Chum! for two days I haven't 
seen you!" Tortoise rephed, "I shan't go back to the 
village; I will remain here." Then Igwana said to him, 
"Well, then; let us sit here together in the same spot." 
Tortoise objected, "No!" So Igwana climbed up the trunk 
a very short distance, and clung there. 

After two days. Snail, who had been left alone, said to 
himself, "I must follow my friends, and find where they 
are. 

So, Snail journeyed, and found Tortoise and Igwana there 
at that tree. Looking at the tree, he exclaimed, "Ah! what 
a fine tree under which to sit!" The others replied, "Yes; 
stay here!" So Snail said to Igwana, "I will stay near you, 
Chum Ngambi, where you are." But Igwana objected, 
"No!" 

There was a vine hanging down from the treetop to the 
ground, and Snail climbed up the vine. Thus the three 
friends were arranged; Tortoise in the hole at the foot of 
the tree, Igwana up the trunk a short way, and Snail on the 
vine half-way to the top. 

Igwana held on where he was, close to the bark of the tree. 
He was partly deaf, and did not hear well. 

After two days, the tree put forth a great abundance of 
fruit. The fruit all ripened. Very many small Birds came 
to the tree- top to eat the fruit. And very many smaU Mon- 
keys too, at the top. Also big monkeys. And also big 
birds. All crowded at the top. They all began to eat the 
fruit. As they ate, they played, and made a great deal of 
noise. 

Tortoise hearing this noise, and dreading that it might 
attract the notice of some enemy, called to Igwana, "Ngambi ! 
tell Ka to say to those people there at the top of the tree, to 
eat quietly, and not with so much noise. " 

Tortoise himself did not call to Snail, lest his shout should 
add to the noise. He only spoke in a low voice to Igwana. 
But, to confirm his words, he quoted a proverb, "Iwedo a 
yalakendi na moto umbaka" (death begins by one person). 
This meant that they all should be watchfid, lest Danger 



128 WHERE ANIMALS TALK 

come to them all by the indiscretion of a few. But Igwana 
did not hear; and was silent. 

Tortoise called again, "Ngambi! tell Kd to tell those 
people to eat quietly, and without noise.*' Igwana was 
silent, and made no answer. A third and a fourth time, 
Tortoise called out thus to Igwana; but he did not hear. So, 
Tortoise said to himself, "I won't say any more!" 

A man from Njambo's Town had gone out to hunt, having 
with him bow and arrow, a machete, and a gun. In his 
wandering, he happened to come to that tree. Hearing the 
noise of voices, he looked up and saw the many monkeys 
and birds on the tree. He exclaimed to himself, "Ah! how 
very many on one tree, more than I have ever seen!" 

He shot his arrow; and three monkeys fell. He fired his 
gun, and killed seven birds. Then the Birds and the Monkeys 
all scattered and fled in fear. The Man also looked at the 
foot of the tree, and saw Tortoise in the hole. He drew him 
out, and thrust him into his hunting-bag. Then he looked 
on the other side of the tree, and saw Igwana within reach. 
He rejoiced in his success, "Oh! Igwana here too!" He 
struck him with the machete; and Igwana died. 

Observing the vine, the Man gave it a pull. And down 
fell Snail! The Man exclaimed, "So! this is Snail!" 

As the Man started homeward carrying his load of animals. 
Tortoise in the bag, mourning over his fate, said to the dead 
Igwa,na and the others, "I told you to call to Ka to warn 
Kema and Lonani; and, now death has come to us all! If 
you, Kema and Lonani, in the beginning, on the tree-top, 
had not made such a noise, Man would not have come to 
kill us. This all comes from you." 

And Man took all these animals to his town, and divided 
them among his people. 



WHERE ANIMALS TALK 129 

TALE 14 

Tortoise and the Bojabi Tree 

Place 

Country of All-The-Beasts 

Persons 

Mbama (Boa Constrictor) Njaku (Elephant) 

Kudu (Tortoise) Iheli (Gazelle) 

Etoli (House Rat) Ngomba (Porcupine) 

Vyadu (Antelope) Nyati (Ox) 

And the Bojabi Tree 

note 

African natives hesitate to eat of an unknown fruit or 
vegetable, unless they see it first partaken of by some lower 
animal. 



All the tribes of Beasts were living in one region, except 
one beast, which was staying in its separate place. Its 
name was Boa Constrictor. His place was about thirty miles 
away from the others. 

In the reg^Lon of all those Beasts, there was a very large 
tree. Its name was Bojabi. But none of those beasts knew 
that that was its name. 

There fell a great famine on that Count ry-of-all-the-Beasts. 
In their search for food, they looked at that tree; and they 
said, "This tree has fine-looking fruit; but, we do not know 
its name. How then shall we know whether it is fit to be 
eaten?" After some discussion, they said, "We think our 
Father Mbama will be able to know this tree's name." So 
they agreed, "Let us send a person to Mbama to cause us 
to know the name of the tree." They selected Rat, and 



130 WHERE ANIMALS TALK 

said to him, "You, Etoli, are young; go you, and inquire." 
They also decided that, "Whoever goes shall not go by land 
along the beach, but by sea." (This they said, in order to 
prove the messenger's strength and perseverance; whether 
he would dally by the way ashore, or paddle steadily by sea.) 
Also, they told Rat that, in going, he should take one of the 
fruits of the tree in his hand, so that Boa might know it. 
So, Rat took the Bojabi fruit, stepped into a canoe, and 
began to paddle. He started about sun-rise in the morning. 
In the middle of the afternoon, he arrived at his journey's 
end. 

He entered into the reception-room of Boa's house, and 
found him sitting there. Boa welcomed him, and said to 
his wife, "Prepare food for our guest, Etoli!" And he said 
to Rat, "Stranger! eat! And then you will tell me what is 
the message you have brought." 

Rat ate and finished, and began to tell his message thus: — 
He said, "In our country we have nothing there but hunger. 
But there is there a tree, and this is its fruit. Whether it is 
fit to be eaten or not, you will tell us." Boa replied, "That 
tree is Bojabi; this fruit is Njabi; and it is to be eaten." 

Then the day darkened to night. And they slept their 
sleep. 

And then the next day broke. 

And Boa said to Rat, "Begin your journey, Etoli! The 
name of the tree is Bojabi. Do not forget it!" 

Rat stepped into his canoe, and began to paddle. He 
reached his country late in the afternoon. He landed. 
And he remained a little while on the beach, dragging the 
canoe ashore. So occupied was he in doing this, that he 
forgot the tree's name. Then he went up into the town. 
The tribes of AU-the-Beasts met him, exclaiming, "Tell us! 
tell us!" Rat confessed, "I have forgotten the name just 
this very now." Then, in their disappointment, they all 
beat him. 

On another day, they said to Porcupine, "Ngomba! go 
you!" But they warned Rat, "If Ngomba brings the name, 
you, Etoli, shall not eat of the fruit. " 

Porcupine made his journey also by sea, and came to the 
town of Boa. When Porcupine had stated his errand, Boa 
told him, "The tree's name is Bojabi. Now, go!'* 



WHERE ANIMALS TALK 131 

Porcupine returned by sea, and kept the name in his 
memory, until he was actually entering the town of his 
home; and, then, he suddenly forgot it. The tribes of All- 
the-Beasts called out to him, as they saw him coming, 
"Ngomba! tell us! tell us!" When he informed them that 
he had forgotten it, they beat him, as they had done to Rat. 

They had also in that country, another plant which was 
thought not proper to be eaten. They did not know that 
its leaves were really good for food. 

On another day, they said to Antelope, "Go you; and tell 
Mbama, and ask him which shall we eat, this fruit or these 
leaves. What shall we Beasts do?" 

Antelope went by sea; and came to Boa's town. And he 
asked Boa, " What do you here eat.^ Tell us. " Boa replied, 
"I eat leaves of the plants, and I drink water; that is all I 
do. And the name of the tree that bears that fruit is Bojabi. 
You, all the Beasts, what are you to eat.^ I have told you. " 

Antelope slept there that night. And the next day, he 
started on his return journey. ^At his journey's end, as he 
was about to land on the beach, a wave upset the canoe, 
and he fell into the sea. In the excitement, he forgot the 
name. The anxious tribes of All-the-Beasts had comedown 
to the beach to meet him, and were asking, "What is the 
name? Tell us!" He replied, "Had I not fallen into the 
water, I would not have forgotten the name. " Then, in their 
anger, they beat him. 

Almost all the beasts were thus tried for that journey; 
and they all failed in the same way, with the name forgotten, 
even the big beasts like Ox and Elephant. There was no 
one of them who had succeeded in bringing home the name. 

But there was left still, one who had not been tried. That 
was Tortoise. So, he said, "Let me try to go." They were 
all vexed with him, at what they thought his audacity and 
presumption. They began to beat him, saying, "Even the 
less for us, and more so for you! You will not be able!" 
But Gazelle interposed, saying, "Let Kudu alone! Why do 
you beat him? Let him go on the errand. We all have 
failed; and it is well that he should fail too." 

Tortoise went to his mother's hut, and said to her, "I'm 
going! How shall I do it?" His mother told him, "In 
your going on this journey, do not drink any water while at 



132 WHERE ANIMALS TALK 

sea, only while ashore. Also, do not eat any food on the 
way, but only in the town. Do not perform any call of 
Nature at sea, only ashore. For, if you do any of these 
things on the way, you will be unable to return with the 
name. For, all those who did these things on the way, 
forgot the name. " So Tortoise promised, "Yes, my mother, 
I shall not do them." 

On another day. Tortoise began his journey to Boa, early. 
He paddled and he paddled, not stopping to eat or drink, 
until he had gone about two-thirds of the way. Then hunger 
and thirst and calls of Nature seized him. But he restrained 
himself, and went on paddling harder and faster. These 
feelings had seized him about noon; and they ceased an hour 
later. He continued the journey; and, before four o'clock 
in the afternoon, had arrived at Boa's. There Tortoise 
entered Boa's house, and found him sitting. Boa saluted, 
and said, "Legs rest; but the mouth will not. Wife! bring 
food for Kudu!" The wife brought food, and Tortoise ate. 

Then Boa said to Tortoise, "Tell me what the journey is 
about." Tortoise told him, "A great hunger is in our place. 
There also we have two plants; the one, — this is its fruit; 
and this grass, — the leaves. Are they eaten?" Boa replied, 
"The tree of this fruit, its name is Bojabi; and it is eaten. 
But, I, Mbama, here, I eat leaves and drink v/ater; and that 
is enough for me. These things are the food for AU-us 
Beasts. We have no other food. Go and tell AU-the- 
Beasts so." Tortoise replied, "Yes; it is well." 

Then the day darkened, and they slept. 

And another day came. And Tortoise began his journey 
of return to his home. As he went, he sang this song, to help 
remember the name: — "Njaku! Jaka Njabi. De! De! 
De!" (Elephant! eat the Bojabi fruit. Straight! Straight! 
Straight!) The chorus was "Bojabi," And, in each repeti- 
tion of the line, he changed the name of the animal, thus: — 
Nyati! jaka njabi. De! De! De. Bojabi" (Ox! eat the 
Bojabi fruit. Straight! straight! straight! Bojabi!) 

He thus nerved himself to keep straight on in his journey. 
And, as he went, he kept repeating the chorus. "Bojabi, 
bojabi! bojabi!" 

He had gone about one-third of the way, when a large 
wave came and upset the canoe, and threw him, pwim! into 



WHERE ANIMALS TALK 133 

the water. He clung to the canoe, and the wave carried it 
and him clear ashore, he still repeating the word, "Bojabi! 
bojabi!" Ashore, he began to mend the canoe; but, all the 
while, he continued singing, "Bojabi!" When he had re- 
paired the canoe, he started the journey again, and went on 
his way, still crying out, "Bojabi!" 

By that time, All-the-Beasts had gathered on the beach 
to wait the coming of Tortoise. He came on and on, through 
the surf near to the landing-place of the town. As he was 
about to land, a great wave caught him, njim! and the 
canoe. But, he still was shouting, "Bojabi!" Though 
All-the-Beasts heard the word, they did not know what it 
meant, or why Tortoise was saying it. They ran into the 
surf, and carried the canoe and Tortoise himself up to the 
top of the beach. And they, all in a hurry, begged, "Tell us !" 
He replied, "I will tell you only when in the town." In 
gladness, they carried him on their shoulders up into the 
town. Then he said, " Before I tell you, let me take my share 
of these fruits lying out there in the yard." They agreed; 
and he carried a large number, hundreds of them, into his 
house. Then he stated, "Mbama said, 'Its name is Bojabi.' 
And All-the-Beasts shouted in unison, "Yes! Bojabi!" 

Then they all began to scramble with each other in gather- 
ing the fruit; so that Tortoise would have been unable to 
get any, had he not first taken his share to his mother, whose 
advice had brought him success. 

He also reported to them, "Mbama told me to tell you 
that himself eats leaves and grass, and drinks water, and is 
satisfied. For, that is the food of All-the-Beasts." 

Had it not been for Boa, the Beasts would not have known 
about eating leaves. But, though that is so, the diligence 
and skill, in this affair, was of Tortoise. 

So, All-the-Beasts agreed: — "We shall have two Kings, 
Kudu and Mbama, each at his end of the country. For, 
the one with his wisdom told what was fit to be eaten; and, 
the other, with his skill, brought the news." 



134 WHERE ANIMALS TALK 

TALE 15 

The Suitors of Njambo's Daughter 

Place 
In Njambo's Town 

Persons 

Njambo and His Daughter Ko (Forest Rat) 

Ndenga Nyati (Ox) 

Etoli (House Rat) Kudu (Tortoise) 

Nja (Leopard) Njaku (Elephant) 

NOTE 

Africans cut down trees, not at the base, but some 12 or 
20 feet up where the diameter is less. They sit in the circle 
of a rope enclosing the tree and their own body, the rope 
resting against their backbone at the loins, and their feet 
braced against the tree trunk. 

The reason why Tortoise lives in brooks is his fear of 
Leopard. 



All the Beasts were living long ago in one place, separate 
from the towns of Mankind; but they had friendship for 
and married with each other. 

Among the towns of Mankind was living a man named 
Njambo. There was born to him a female child named 
Ndenga. In the town, at one end of it, there was a very 
large tree. 

Njambo said of his daughter, "This child shall be married 
only with Beasts." So when the Beasts heard of that 
one of them, House-Rat, said, "I'm going to marry that 
woman!" So he went to the father to arrange what things 
he should pay on the dowry. Njambo said to him, "I do 



WHERE ANIMALS TALK 135 

not want goods. But, if any one shall be able to hew down 
this tree, he shall marry my child." 

At once. Rat took the axe that Njambo handed him, and 
began to hack at the Tree. He tried and tried, but was not 
able to make the axe enter at all. At last, he wearied of 
trying and stopped. He said to himself, "If I go to Njambo, 
and tell him I am unable to do the task, he will kill me." 
So, he left the axe, at the foot of the tree, and fled to his 
town. 

Njambo waited a while, but seeing no signs of Rat's com- 
ing to him to report, himself came to the Tree, and found 
only the axe, but saw no person. He took up the axe, and 
went with it back to his house. 

Off in the Forest, all-Beasts saw Rat returning, and were 
surprised that he came alone. They asked him, "Where is 
the woman?" Rat answered, "I wearied of trying to get 
the woman, by reason of the greatness of the task of cutting 
down a tree. So, I gave up the work, and fled, and have 
come home." 

Then all the Beasts derided him, saying, "You like to live 
in another person's house, and scramble around, and nibble 
at other people's food, but you are not able to marry a wife!" 

Then Forest-Rat said, "I will marry that woman ! " So 
he went to Njambo for the marriage, and came to the town. 
Njambo said to him, "I do not object to anybody for the 
marriage, but, I will only test you by that Tree off yonder. 
If you are willing to hew the Tree, you may marry this 
woman!" 

This Forest-Rat replied, "Yes! I shall wait here today; 
and will cut down the Tree early tomorrow morning." That 
day darkened. And Njambo's people cooked food for 
Forest-Rat as their guest. They all ate; and then they 
went to lie down to sleep. 

Then after awhile, the light of another day began to break. 

They arose. And they gave Forest-Rat an axe. He 
took it, and went to the foot of the Tree. He fastened two 
cords, with which to climb up to where the Tree was at half 
its thickness. There he tried to cut the Tree. But he was 
unable to cut away even the smallest chip. At last he 
exclaimed, "Ah! brother Etoli is justified! I am not able to 
cut this tree, because of its hardness. " 



136 WHERE ANIMALS TALK 

So, he came down the Tree, and left the axe at the foot, 
saymg, "If I go back to the house of this Man, he will kill 
me. No! I am fleeing. " 

When he arrived at his town, the other people asked him, 
"Where's the woman?" He answered, "The woman is a 
thing easy to marry, but the Tree was a hard thing to cut. " 

After waiting awhile for the Forest-Rat, Njambo came to 
the foot of the Tree; and, seeing the axe lying, took it, and 
went with it to his House. 

Then Leopard tried for the woman; and failed in the same 
way as the two who preceded him. 

Next, Elephant tried, and failed in the same way. 

So did Ox in the same way. 

And all the other Beasts, one after another, in the same 
way, wearied of the task for obtaining this woman. 

But, there was left still one Beast, Tortoise, that had not 
made the attempt at the marriage. He stood up, and said, 
" I will go; and I shall marry that woman at Njambo's town ! " 
Ox heard Tortoise say that; and struck him, saying, "Why! 
even more so we; and the less so you, to attempt to obtain 
her!" But Elephant said to Ox, "Let Kudu alone! Let 
us see him marry the woman!" 

So, Tortoise made his journey to Njambo's town, and 
came there late in the afternoon. He said to Njambo, "I 
have come to marry your child." Njambo replied, "Well! 
let it be so!" 

Tortoise said to Njambo, "First, call your daughter, to 
see if she shall like me." When she entered the room, 
Tortoise asked her, "Do you love me.^" She answered, 
"Yes! I love you with all my heart." This made Tortoise 
glad; for the woman was very beautiful to look upon. Then 
Njambo told him, "Kudu, I want no goods for her; only 
the cutting of the Tree." Tortoise assented, "Yes! I will 
try." 

So they all went to sleep that night. 

And then the next day broke. 

An hour after sunrise, Njambo called Tortoise, and, 
showing him the axe, said, "This is the axe for the tree." 
Tortoise took the axe, and went to the foot of the Tree. He 
looked at its sides closely, and saw there was a difference in 
them. He also looked very steadily at the top of the tree. 



WHERE ANIMALS TALK 137 

Then he took rattan ropes, and mounted to the middle of 
the thickness of the Tree. He chose also the side opposite 
that at which the others had cut. He found it soft when he 
began to cut; and, at once the chips began to fall to the 
ground. He had begun the chopping early, and by the 
middle of the morning, the Tree began to fall. And it fell 
to the ground with a great crash, nji-i! 

Njambo heard the fall of the tree, and he came to see it. 
And he said to Tortoise, "You have done well, because you 
have cut down the Tree. But, finish the job by cutting 
off the top end with its branches. That will leave the trunk 
clear." Tortoise asked Njambo, "What will you do with 
the log?" Njambo answered him, "To make a canoe." 

So, Tortoise cut off also the end of the Tree with its 
branches. 

Then Njambo told him, "Come on, into the town, to 
take your wife; because you have cut down the tree; that 
is the price I asked." The two came to the house in the 
town; and Njambo brought his daughter to Tortoise, saying, 
"This is your wife. And I give with the woman these other 
things." Those things were only different kinds of food. 

Tortoise made his journey with his wife towards his town. 
He journeyed, going, going on, until he had reached half of 
the way. Then he said to his wife, "What shall I do? For, 
Nja is ahead in the way?" The wife replied, "No! go on! 
I think Nja wdll do nothing to us. " 

Shortly afterward, they met with Leopard in the path. 
Leopard said to Tortoise, "Ah! Chum! this wife is not proper 
for you to marry, only with me, Nja. " Tortoise said "No!" 
But Leopard insisted, "No! I take this one! I will give you 
another wife in her place." So, he snatched the woman 
from Tortoise, and ran away with her to his town. 

Tortoise went on his way, as he went, crying, till he came 
to his own village. There Elephant asked him, "Why do 
you cry as you go? Has Njambo struck you about the 
affair of the marriage? For, we had heard the news that 
you had cut down the tree, and had taken the woman. 
What then is the reason?" 

Tortoise answered, "Yes! I married the woman, because 
I had cut down the Tree. But Nja took the woman 
away. " 



138 WHERE ANIMALS TALK 

Then Elephant called all the Beasts together to take coun- 
sel. He said to them, "What shall we do, because Nja has 
taken away the wife of Kudu?" They all replied, "We are 
all afraid of Nja. None of us can dare to say anything to 
him. For, he kills us people. So, our decision is : Let Kudu 
give up his wife to Nja. " 

But Tortoise said, "I am unable to leave her. If it be 
death, I will die because of my wife. " 

So, they all dispersed from the house of Tortoise, and went 
to their own houses. 

At that time. Leopard had eight wives. 

Tortoise removed from the Town-of-all-the-Beasts, and 
built a village for himself, about one-and-a-half miles away. 
He built on the public highway, where passed by all people. 
He put a very large stone in front of his door-yard, large 
enough for one to sit down on it. He made also a bench 
near the stone. And he put a plate with water in it on the 
ground by the stone. Then he placed a certain magic- 
medicine on the seat of the bench. And he uttered a Charm : 
"Let any one else who sits on this seat go free from it. But, 
if it be Nja, let him not go from it. " 

He finished all these things late in the afternoon. The 
day darkened, and he went to his house, and slept his sleep. 

Soon the day broke. 

That day, Elephant said, "I'm going to the forest, and 
my wives with me." As he came on his way, he passed by 
the street of Tortoise's House. He observed the stone and 
the bench and the water. He exclaimed, "Ah! I'll sharpen 
my machete here!" So, he sat down on the bench, and 
sharpened his machete. Then, went on his way into the 
forest with his wives. 

After a while. Ox came on his journey, and saw the stone 
and water. He also sat down on the bench, and sharpened 
his machete. And then went on his way into the forest with 
his wives. 

Soon afterward, Leopard journeyed along with all his eight, 
and the new one, the ninth, the wife of Tortoise. He came 
to the house of Tortoise. Looking into the door-yard, he 
exclaimed, "Ah! good! and fine! that Kudu has prepared 
these things. " 

Tortoise was in the house; he saw Leopard coming, and he 



WHERE ANIMALS TALK 139 

rejoiced, ''Very good! indeed! for the coming of this person. " 
Leopard sat down on the bench, and sharpened his machete 
on the stone with the water of the plate. His women stand- 
ing by, waited for him to finish the sharpening. When he 
had finished, he said, "I will get up, and start the journey 
again." But, he stuck fast to the bench. He exlcaimed, 
" My women ! I am unable to rise ! What shall I do.^ " 

The "medicine" on the bench began to sting him like bees. 
And he cried out, "Ah! I'm dead! For, I am unable to rise!" 

Tortoise, coming out into the yard, said to Leopard, "I 
am the one who caused you this. You will not move thence 
until you give me back my wife. If you do not, you will 
reniain there a whole month, a whole year. " 

At this. Leopard felt very much grieved; and he inquired 
of his women, "The wife of Kudu is here in this company.^" 
The woman answered, "Yes! I'm here." Then Leopard 
said, "Please, Kudu, take your wife, and remove me from 
this bench. It hurts me." So, Tortoise took his wife. 
And he added, "I want also my food you took from us in 
the path. " 

Leopard sent a child back to his town in haste to cut plan- 
tains. The child went; and the plantains were brought. 
Tortoise took them, and said, "Nja! you are done, for your 
part. I have taken all I owned. But, if I release you, you 
will kill me, and take again my wife. You shall be released 
only after I have fled. " 

So, Tortoise fled with his wife and all his goods into a 
stream of water. When safely there, he shouted, "Let 
Nja remove from that seat ! " 

At once. Leopard stood up, and was free. And he went 
back to his town, giving up his intended journey into the 
forest. 



140 WHERE ANIMALS TALK 

TALE 16 

Tortoise, Dog, Leopard and the Njabi Fruit 

Persons 
Nja (Leopard) Kudu (Tortoise) 

Mbwa (Dog) Inani (A Bird) 

And Other Beasts 

Note : Observe the cannibahsm of the human-animals. 



At first, all Animals were living in one region. Of these, 
Tortoise and Dog lived together in one place, and built a 
town by themselves. But, all the others, Leopard, Hippo- 
potamus, Elephant, Ox, etc., lived together in another place. 

After some time, a great famine fell on the part of the 
country where Tortoise and Dog lived; and they had to seek 
for any kind of food. 

One day Tortoise said to Dog, "I'm going awalking 
into the forest." So, early at daybreak, he started off to 
seek for mushrooms. All those other Beasts that were 
living together had a kind of tree called Bojabi, bearing a 
very large heavy fruit called Njabi. And they had all 
agreed, "There are no other Animals, but our own com- 
panies, who shall eat of the fruit of this Tree." They were 
accustomed, whenever they had eaten of this fruit, to go to 
an adjacent prairie, to play. 

So that day, on his journey. Tortoise happened to come 
to the foot of that Tree. The ripe fruit were falling from 
it, and quantities were lying on the ground. He exclaimed 
"Eme! (indeed!), Ibele! (splendid), Eme! Abundance of 
food!" He gathered, and ate, and stayed a while gathering 
others, which he would carry back to his town. 

While doing this, a fruit fell from the branch above, and 
struck him hard on the back. The blow hurt him; but he 
only said, "Ah! the back of an aged person!" (My back 
feels like that of an aged person.) This he said because of 
the pain it gave him; but he made no out-cry. 

He had with him a bag, into which he put food on a journey. 
So, he filled it with the fruits, and resumed his journey to 



WHERE ANIMALS TALK 141 

go back to his town. On his arrival at his house, his wife 
said to him, "Why did you delay so long?" He replied, "I 
found a Tree belonging to the Tribes-of-All-the-Beasts. 
Had they seen me, they would have killed me." And, he 
drew the fruits from the bag, and gave his wife and children, 
saying, "Eat ye!" But, he added, "While you eat of it, 
do not allow Mbwa to see it." 

One of the children ran out into the street, with the fruit 
grasped in his hand. Just then, Dog happened to meet the 
child in the street, and asked him, "Who gave you this fruit, 
child of Kudu? " The child answered, " My father came from 
the forest, and brought this fruit with him. " In the evening, 
when the day had darkened, Dog came and said to Tortoise, 
"My friend! you are a bad fellow; for, we live together in 
one place, and you do not share with me! Chum! is it 
possible that you eat such good things here? Where did you 
discover them?" Tortoise then gave Dog and his children 
a share. But, he was not willing to tell the place of that 
Tree. He evaded, by saying, "As I went, I forced my way 
through the jungle of the forest. But, I did not find any 
mushrooms; they are about done. Also, we are not allowed 
to go to the place where this fruit grows." So it went on 
for some time. 

On another evening. Tortoise remarked, in conversation 
with Dog, that he would be going into the forest next day. 
Dog said nothing, but went back to his house, as if to sleep; 
while Tortoise remained in his house, and went to bed. 

Tortoise had left his hunting-bag hanging in the public 
reception-room by his house. At night, Dog arose from his 
house, and slowly and stealthily went to the house of Tortoise, 
clear into that room. Entering it secretly, and finding the 
bag, he threw ashes into its mouth and then, w^ith his knife, 
made holes in it at the lower end. For, he said to himself, 
"When Tortoise shall go out early, then I will follow him." 
Then he went back to his house, and laid down again. 

When day-light began to break, early in the morning. 
Tortoise arose, took the bag, and started on a journey to 
that forest tree which belonged to the Beasts. As he went 
the ashes sifted through the holes in the bottom of the bag, 
and fell on the path. He finally arrived at the tree. 

Dog also arose early, and found which way Tortoise had 



142 WHERE ANIMALS TALK 

gone, by the dropping of the ashes ; for, as he went, Dog was 
looking out for the marks on the way; and, following the 
signs, they clearly showed him the route, until he reached 
the tree, soon after Tortoise had arrived. 

Tortoise exclaimed, "Ah! Chum! What have you come 
here to do? Who called you, you with your loud howling? 
Do you know who own this Tree? Can you endure if one 
of these fruits should fall down on you? For, if you cry out 
in pain, then the owners of this Tree will catch both you and 
me. If they seize me, who am Kudu, what shall I do? For, 
I, Kudu, do not know how to run rapidly." Then Dog 
said, *'If they come to seize you, I will come to take you 
from their hands." At this. Tortoise laughed out aloud, 
"Those beasts of strength! When they seize me, you will 
come and take me from them? Really?" 

Just then while they were thus speaking, two of the fruits 
fell on Tortoise's back, at the same time, with a thud, ndu! 
ndu! Though in pain, he only unconcernedly remarked, 
"The hardened skin of an aged person! Ah! the back of an 
old man!" and went on eating. 

Dog exclaimed, "O! Chum! that big thing struck you, and 
you were able to refrain from crying!" Tortoise replied, 
"Wait till yours also!" 

Presently a very small fruit thus fell, and hit Dog on the 
head. He howled lustily, "Ow! ow! ow! ow!" Tortoise 
said to him, "Did I not tell you so!" 

There came down another fruit, and fell on Tortoise; he 
quietly disregarded it. Another then fell on Dog with a 
thump, ngomu! And he ran off howling, "mwa! mwa!" 

All this while. Leopard had been up the Tree. It was he 
who had flung the fruit at Dog and Tortoise. 

When Dog ran. Leopard instantly descended the Tree, 
and, disregarding Tortoise, chased Dog; but could not over- 
take him. Had he caught Dog, seizing him tightly, he would 
have killed him with one blow of his paw, ndi! and would 
have eaten him on the spot. While Leopard was away. 
Tortoise was in fear and did not know what to do, for he 
knew that he could not run from Leopard. A Bird whistled, 
"Pu! pu! pu! Chum Kudu, Hide! hide!" So Tortoise went 
into a hole at the base of the tree, and hid there. 

Leopard, on his return, sought for Tortoise, but could not 



WHERE ANIMALS TALK 143 

find him. So, he dimbed the Tree again, and gathered his 
fruits, and went off towards the town of the Beasts. But, 
he met those Beasts coming; for, they had heard the howls 
of Dog, and had shouted at him, "He! e. e. ! Wait for us! 
Dop't be afraid!" 

All those People-of-the-Tree came antj gathered about its 
trunk. They searched; and presently they saw Tortoise. 
They exclaimed, "So! you are the one who eats for us the 
fruit of this tree! You shall die!" 

They tied him, and took him with them to their town. 
There they suspended him from the roof of a house, saying, 
"To-morrow, you will be eaten!" Off at his town, the wife 
of Tortoise asked Dog, "Where is my husband .f^" Dog 
answered, "I think that the Tribes-of-all-the-Beasts have 
caught him." After a while. Dog, thinking, said to him- 
self, "I remember my word that I said to Kudu, 'If they 
seize you, I will come to take you.' " So, Dog went and 
gathered shells of a very large snail named Ka. He took a 
large number, pierced each one with a hole, and strung them 
all on a string. These he placed about his neck; and, as he 
went along, he wriggled his body, and the shells struck 
together like little bells. Then said he to himself, "The 
time is fulfilled for taking away my friend." So, he went 
rapidly to where the Tribes-of-the-Beasts had a spring for 
their drinking-water. Those Beasts had sent one of their 
lads to get water with which to cook Tortoise. The lad 
came to the spring. Dog jingled the shells ; and, the lad ran 
back to town screaming, "There's some Thing at the spring, 
which kills!" 

Then the Tribes sent a young man stronger than the lad, 
and said to him, "Go you, and get water at the spring." 
When the young man came near the spring, Dog jingled 
the shells, as before. And, the young man fied in fear. 
So, the people of the town said, "Let us all go to the spring 
together; for, tha,t Thing can not hurt us all." 

So they came to the spring. Dog seeing that all were 
coming, left the spring, and ran around to their town by 
another path, to take Tortoise away. Dog found Tortoise 
suspended by a rope. He bit through the rope, and, with 
Tortoise on his back, he ran rapidly to their town. 

Those of the Tribes who first arrived at the spring, search- 



144 WHERE ANIMALS TALK 

ed, inquiring, '* Where is It? Where is It? Where is It?" 
Discovering nothing, they returned to the town. Then, they 
could not find Tortoise, And they said, '*Let be! Kudu has 
sHpped away." 

One day after this, the wife of Dog and the wife of Tortoise 
went into the forest to their gardens to seek for food. And 
their children went out on the prairie, to play. Dog and 
Tortoise both remained in the town. Notwithstanding that 
Dog had saved his life. Tortoise was still angry at him for 
having spoiled their going to the Njabi Tree. Tortoise came 
to Dog's end of the town and said to him, "Let us shave our 
foreheads." Dog was pleased, and said, "Kudu, you first 
do me; then I will do you. " 

So Tortoise took the razor, and he shaved away Dog's 
front locks. 

Then Tortoise said to Dog, " Let me shave also your neck. " 
Dog bent down his head. Tortoise slashed the entire neck, 
cutting Dog's head off. And Dog fell down a corpse. 

Tortoise cut up the body, and put the pieces in a kettle of 
water on the fire. Also, he gathered pepper pods, and 
ground them for the seasoning. He looked for salt, and saw 
it was up on top of a shelf. So, he took three chairs, putting 
them on top of one another, by which to climb up. As he 
was creeping up, the chairs fell over on the ground. As they 
fell, he tumbled also down, almost into the kettle of hot 
water, where were boiling the pieces of Dog. But, Tortoise 
scrambled away, and went off to his end of the town. 

After a while the children of Dog came back from their 
play, and not finding their father in his house, they came 
to the house of his friend Tortoise, and asked, "Where is 
our father?" Tortoise replied, "As for me, where I wks, I 
did not see him. When he went from here, who sent for 
him?" 

When the two women returned. Dog's wife found, but did 
not recognize, the pieces of meat in her kettle. She wailed 
and mourned for him as dead. When, by the next day, the 
people of Dog did not find him, they said, "He is dead." 
But they suspected Tortoise. The wife of Tortoise also 
doubted him, and deserting him, returned to the house of 
her father. So, Tortoise left them all, and went to another 
place, fearing they would charge him with the death of Dog. 



WHERE ANIMALS TALK 145 

TALE 17 

A Journey for Salt 

Persons 
Njabu (Civet) Ngweya (Hog) 

Mbama (Boa) Kudu (Tortoise) 

A Man, and Hunters 

NOTE 

Interior tribes formerly obtained their salt from sea-water 
evaporated by the coast tribes in large shallow brass pans, 
called "neptunes," imported by foreign traders. 



All these four Beasts were neighbors, living together in one 
town. 

One time, in the evening, about an hour after the regular 
six o'clock sunset, they all, were sitting conversing in the 
street. Then Tortoise said to the others, "Here! I have 
something to say! I w^ish to talk with you. Tomorrow, 
let us go on a journey, to take a walk through the forest down 
to the Sea, to buy salt." They all assented, "Yes! so let 
it be!" 

Late at night, they dispersed to their houses, to lie dow^n 
for sleep. 

After awhile, the day began to break. 

Early in the morning, they prepared for their journey. 
And Tortoise said to them, "I have here another thing to 
say; my last word. That is: As we go, no one of us is to 
start any new affair on the way; only steadily down to the 
Seacoast." They all said, "Yes! we are agreed." 

So, they started through the forest, going on their journey. 
They went, and they went, on and on, expecting to go a 
long way, until they should by evening come to their camp- 
ing-place for the night. But, on the way, Civet began to 
say, "Ah! my stomach aches! Ah! my stomach aches!" 



146 WHERE ANIMALS TALK 

Tortoise asked, "What do you mean by * stomach-ache?' " 
Civet answered, " 'Stomach-ache' means that my bowels 
trouble me, and that I need to go. " 

Tortoise said, "Well! go! step aside from the path into the 
bushes, and we will wait for you here." But Civet said, 
"No! not in the bushes; for, I must go back to the kitchen- 
garden of my mother in our town." Tortoise exclaimed, 
"By no means! When we arranged for this journey, what 
did I say in the town.^^" They all admitted, "You said that 
none of us should start any affair on the way." Therefore 
Tortoise said, "But, you, Njabu, have begun a new matter 
on the way. If so, this journey is going to end in trouble!" 

Nevertheless, Civet ran rapidly back before night to his 
mother's kitchen-garden in his town, at the place where he 
usually went, w^hile the three others sat down in the path to 
await his return. After a long time, Civet, having relieved 
himself, came again by night to his companions, saying, "I 
am feeling very well." 

The next day, they all rose, saying, "Now! Let us resume 
our journey!" and they started again. 

They walked, and they walked, until Boa cried, "O! my 
stomach! O! my stomach aches!" Then Tortoise asked 
him, "What is 'stomach ache' .5^" Boa replied, "It means 
that hunger has seized me." So Tortoise said, "Yes, that's 
right. We have with us food for the journey ready. So, 
come, all of you, let us all eat." But Boa said, "No! not 
this food. I must go and seek other food." Tortoise in- 
quired, "What other kind of food. ^" Boa said, "Let me 
go over yonder a little way; and I shall return." 

As he was going, he came in sight of a red Antelope. Boa 
curled his body in folds, according to his manner of crushing 
his prey. The Antelope happened along; and Boa seized 
and killed it. He covered it with saliva very much, as is 
its manner in swallowing its prey. And, carrying it to their 
camp. Boa lay down with it. Tortoise said, "We will all 
eat together of it." But Boa replied, "We do not give 
each other in the town ; shall we give each other on the jour- 
ney?" Then he swallowed the entire carcass. Presently 
he called the other three; and they went to him. And he 
said to them, "I have finished eating, and I am satisfied." 

So, Tortoise said, "Come on, then; let us continue our 



WHERE ANIMALS TALK 147 

journey." But Boa said, *'No! I shall leave this place only 
when this Beast I have eaten dissolves." Tortoise expostu- 
lated, *' Indeed! Chum! I said in the town, 'Let no one 
begin any matter on the way,' yet, first Njabu began his 
affair; and now you, Mbama, begin yours!" 

However, they all sat down, and waited for Boa's food to 
digest. For an entire month they waited there, delaying 
while that food was being digested. Finally, Boa said, 
"Now, we will journey, but first I will go to the river to 
drink." He drank a very great deal of water, which acted 
as a purgative to relieve his bowels of the bones of the Ante- 
lope. Then he reported to the others, "I am feeling very 
well. Let us go." 

They went, and they went. And they came to a large 
tree so recently fallen across the path that its leaves were 
stiU green. Hog jumped over to the other side of it. Also, 
Boa crawled over it. And Civet leaped over it. They called 
to Tortoise, who was vainly trying to climb over it, "Come 
on! Let us go ahead! Jump!" 

But, Tortoise being vexed, said, "No! I won't go! You 
know I have no long legs. What can I do! So, I shall 
leave this spot only when this tree has rotted through, giving 
me an open way!" They all wondered, and said, "No! this 
tree is new and fresh. It will rot in how many days? " 

Tortoise replied, "Not me! you! For, had not you two, 
Njabu and Mbama, delayed us, we would already have 
passed this spot long before this tree fell. You, Njabu, 
first began a matter; soon, you, Mbama, began your matter; 
now, this is my matter. Now wait for me." So, they 
waited and waited. 

But, while waiting, the other three went out sometimes 
by early daylight in the morning to an adjacent plantation, 
and found there corn, yams, plantains, and all kinds of food. 
Civet and Hog said, "We must eat!" They ate up the 
corn, and finished the plantains. 

One day, a Man of another town, was wandering in the 
forest. As he journeyed, he was looking from side to side 
on the way, peering for what he might find. And he saw 
many tracks of Beasts. Examining them closely, he said, 
"This track looks like that of a tortoise! Yes, and this like 
a hog's! And, here, 0! this other is of a civet! And, ha! 



148 WHERE ANIMALS TALK 

ha! a trail of a boa is this!" He exclaimed, "How many 
Beasts this place has ! I will call the townspeople to come and 
kill these Beasts; for, there must be many." So, he hurried 
rapidly back, and arrived at the town. 

When there, he shouted, "Come on, men! Come to the 
forest! I've found many Beasts!" The owner of the 
Plantation came along. His people took their guns ; and some 
took machetes; and some, spears and knives. Others took 
nets. And they all went together at once. They also had 
with them, dogs, to whose necks they tied little bells. 

When they came to that place where the four Beasts were, 
the dogs barked and shook their bells as they raced. And the 
men began to shout "Ha! ha!" to drive the Beasts into the 
net. They first ca,me upon Hog, fired a gun at him, and he 
died. Next, they came upon Civet, and pierced him with a 
spear. They killed also Boa, who was lying dormant by the 
log. And they saw the other Beast, Tortoise, on one side of 
the log, trying to conceal itself among the decayed leaves, 
and seized it. Having the three dead bodies, they kept 
Tortoise alive, and tied him with a cord. 

They had begun the killing of these Beasts late in the 
afternoon, and they reached their town about sunset. And 
they said, "Put all the carcasses in one house; but suspend 
Tortoise from the roof." They consulted, "We shall eat 
those Beasts only tomorrow; for, the evening is too late to 
cut them up and cook them." So, they all went to 
sleep. 

Near midnight, Tortoise, after a long effort, wriggled out 
of the coils of the cord. He came to the corner of the room 
where were the bodies of the other three Beasts. He said 
over Civet's body, "Did I not say to you, * Begin no new 
matter on the way?' And now you are a corpse." And 
over Boa, he said, "You too; I told you not to begin a matter; 
and now you are a dead body. Had we not begun these 
matters on the way, we would have finished our journey 
safely." 

Then he scratched a hole under the wall of the house, and 
escaped to the forest. 

After that, the day broke. And the townspeople said 
among themselves, "Bring the Beasts outside of the house; 
let us cut them up. " They did so with the three dead bodies. 



WHERE ANIMALS TALK 149 

And they told a lad, "Bring the Kudu that is suspended from 
the rafters. " 

The lad looked and reported, "I have seen no Kudu." 
They all went to look for it, and could see nothing of it. 
So, they said, "Let us eat these. Let the other go; for, it has 
run away." 



TALE 18 

A Plea for Mercy 

Persons 

Njabu (Civet) Vyadu (Antelope) 

Uhingi (Genet) Kudu (Tortoise) 

Kuba (Chicken) Ivenga, A Woman and Her 

Husband Njambo 

NOTE 

This Tale seems to be a version of No. 17. The plea of 
Tortoise that he did not spoil the fruits of plantations is 
true; it does not injure the gardens of the natives. 



These four Beasts were living in one town; Civet, in his 
own house; Tortoise in his; Antelope also in his; Genet too 
in his own. But their four houses opened on to one long 
street. 

One day, in the afternoon, they all were in that street, 
sitting down in conversation. Tortoise said to them, "I 
have here a word to say." They replied "Well! Speak!" 

At that time, their town had a great famine. So, Tortoise 
said, "Tomorrow, we will go to seek food. " They replied, 
"Good! just as soon as the day, at its first break." 

Then they scattered, and went to their houses to lie down 
for sleep. Soon, the day broke. And they all got up, and 
were ready by sunrise at six o'clock. 



150 WHERE ANIMALS TALK 

They all went on their journey to find food. They searched 
as they walked a distance of several miles. Then they came 
to a plantation of Njambo's wife Ivenga. It was distant 
from Njambo's town about one hour's walk. It had a great 
deal of sugar-cane; also of yams and cassava. It had also a 
quantity of sweet potatoes. There also, the chickens of 
Njambo were accustomed to go to scratch for worms among 
the plants. 

At once, Civet exclaimed, ''I'll go no further! I like to eat 
sugar-cane!" So he went to the plot of cane. 

Antelope also said, "I too! I'll not go any further. I like 
to eat leaves of potato and cassava." So he went to the 
plot of cassava. 

And Genet said, "Yes ! I see Kuba here! I like to eat Kuba! 
I '11 go no further ! " So, he went after the chickens. 

But first, the three had asked Tortoise, "Kudu! what will 
you do.^ Have you nothing to eat?" Tortoise answered, 
"I have nothing to eat. But, I shall await you even two 
days, and will not complain." So, Civet remarked, "Yes! 
I will not soon leave here, till I eat up all this cane. Then 
I will go back to town." Antelope also said, "Yes! the 
same. I will remain here with the potato leaves till I finish 
them, before I go back. " Genet also said, "Yes! I see many 
Kuba here. I will stay and finish them." 

Tortoise only said, "I have nothing to say." 

In that plantation was a large tree; and Tortoise went to 
lie down at its foot. 

They were all there about four days, eating and eating. 
On the fifth day, Njambo's wife Ivenga in the town said to 
herself, "I'll go today, and see about my plantation, how it 
is." 

She came to the plantation, and when she saw the condition 
in which it was, she lifted up her voice, and began to wail a 
lamentation. She saw that but little cane was left, and not 
much of potatoes. Looking in another part of the planta- 
tion, she saw lying there, very many feathers of chickens. 

She ran back rapidly to town to tell her husband. But, 
she was so excited she could scarcely speak. He asked her, 
"What's the matter, Ivenga.^^" She answered, "I have no 
words to tell you. For, the Plantation is left with no food. " 
Then, the Man called twenty men of the town; and he said 



WHERE ANIMALS TALK 151 

to them, "Take four nets!" They took the nets, and also 
four dogs, with small bells tied to the necks of the dogs. The 
men had also guns and spears and machetes in their hands. 
They followed into the forest; and they came on to three of 
the Beasts. They came first upon Antelope, with their dogs; 
and they shot him dead. Then the dogs came on Genet, and 
they followed him; and soon he was shot with a gun. They 
came also on Civet, and killed him. 

Taking up the carcasses, they said to each other, "Let 
us go back to town." On the way, they came to the big 
Tree, and found Tortoise lying at the base. They took him 
also, and then went on to their town. 

Arrived there, Njambo ordered, "Put Kudu in a house 
and suspend him from the roof." Also he ordered, "Take 
off the skin of Vyadu and hang it in the house where Kudu 
is. " He added, "Take off also the skin of Njabu." They did 
so, and they put it into that house. He directed that Genet 
should also be skinned, and his skin hung in that same house. 
So, there was left of these beasts in the street, only the flesh 
of their bodies. These the men cut up and divided among 
themselves. And they feasted for several days. 

On the fourth day afterward, Njambo said to his wife, 
"I'm going on a visit to a town about three miles away. Do 
you, while I am away, kill Kudu, and prepare him with ngan- 
dd for me, by my return. " The woman got ready the Uganda 
seeds (gourd) for the pudding, and then went into the room 
to take Tortoise. In the dim light, she lifted up her hand, 
and found the string that suspended Tortoise. 

But, before she untied it, Tortoise said, "Just wait a little." 
The woman took away her hand, and stood waiting. Tor- 
toise asked her, "This skin there looks like what. f^" The 
woman replied, "A skin of Vyadu. " And Tortoise inquired, 
"What did Vyadu do?" The woman answered, "Vyadu 
ate my potatoes in the Plantation, and my husband killed 
him for it. " Tortoise said, "That is well. " 

Then Tortoise again asked, "This other skin is of what 
animal.?" The woman replied, "Of Uhingi." Tortoise 
inquired, "What did Uhingi do?" The woman answered, 
"Uhingi killed and ate my and my husband's Kuba; and he 
was killed for that." Then Tortoise said, "Very good 
reason!" 



152 WHERE ANIMALS TALK 

Again Tortoise asked the woman, "This other skin?" 
She answered, "Of Njabu." Tortoise asked, "Njabu, what 
did he do?" She answered, "Njabu ate my sugar-cane, 
and my husband killed him." Tortoise said, "A proper 
reason! But, you, you are going to kill me and cook me 
with nganda-pudding. What have I done?" The woman 
had no reason to give. So she left Tortoise alive, and began 
to cook the gourd-seeds with fish. 

Soon, Njambo himself came back, and his wife set before 
him the Uganda and fish. But he objected, "Ah! my wife! 
I told you to cook Kudu; and you have cooked me fish. 
Why?" The woman told him, "My husband! first finish 
this food, and then you and I will go to see about Kudu." 
So, Njambo finished eating, and Ivenga removed the plates 
from the table. Then they two went into the room, where 
Tortoise was suspended. 

The woman sat, but Njambo was standing ready to pluck 
down Tortoise. Then Tortoise said to Njambo, "You, Man! 
just wait ! " The woman also said to Njambo, " My husband ! 
listen to what Kudu says to you. " 

Tortoise asked, "You, Man, what skin is this?" Njambo 
answered, "Of Vyadu. I killed him on account of this 
eating my Plantation." Then Tortoise asked, "And that 
skin?" Njambo answered, "Of Uhingi; and I killed him 
for eating my Kuba." Tortoise again asked, "And this 
other? " Njambo answered, "Of Njabu ; for eating my sugar- 
cane. " 

Then Tortoise said, "There w^ere four of us in the Planta- 
tion. What have I eaten? Tell me. If I have eaten, then 
I should die." Njambo told him, "I've found no reason 
against you." Tortoise then asked, "Then, why should I 
die?" So, Njambo untied Tortoise from the roof, and said 
to Ivenga, "Let Kudu go; for, I find no reason against him. 
Let him go as he pleases. " 

So, Ivenga set Tortoise free; and he hasted back to his 
town in peace. 



WHERE ANIMALS TALK 153 

TALE 19 

The Deceptions of Tortoise 

Persons 

Njd (Leopard) Mbama (Boa) 

Kudu (Tortoise) Ngando (Crocodile) 

Ngambi (Igwana) With Men, A Woman, and 

Child 

note 
A portion of this Tale seems to be a version of No. 12. 



Leopard and Tortoise built together a large town. Leop- 
ard said to Tortoise, "I will hve with you, but I shall not 
be able to eat with you; for, I am a great man, and I eat 
alone. " 

Some time after this. Tortoise went away, and married a 
wife. One day, his wife being hungry, he went off into the 
forest to seek food for her. And he found mushrooms. He 
gathered them; took them and returned with them to the 
town. There he said to his wife, "Eat!" and she ate. 

Some time after this, the woman was about to become a 
mother. And, on another day. Tortoise went again into the 
forest to find food for his wife. As before, he gathered 
mushrooms. But, when he brought them to his wife, she 
said to him, "I don't hke these things; the same every day!" 

So, Tortoise went off again to seek food in the forest. He 
came near a strange town, and heard voices of Mankind 
talking. In fear, he hid himself, and watched what would 
happen. He observed that there were Men going off into 
the forest, with implements of search for wild animals. He 
saw them, but kept himself closely hidden. 

When they had gone, he came out of his hiding, and went 
into one of these houses of Men, and sat down there. Then 



154 WHERE ANIMALS TALK 

he walked into the rooms. On the shelves of the kitchen, 
he saw a large quantity of wild meat drying. He took of 
that meat, and went away with it to his own town. 

He found on his arrival that his wife had already borne her 
child, the little tortoise. When Tortoise showed her the 
meat, she asked him, "Where did you get all this meat.f^" 
He replied evasively, "You told me to get you meat; so I 
went; and I have come with it. " The woman was glad, and 
said, "Do so every day!" 

So, another time. Tortoise again went off into the forest. 
And he came to the town of those Men. They were not 
there; for, they had gone off on their hunting. He went 
again into their house; took of their meat, and returned to 
his place. On giving the food to his wife, he said to her, 
"Do not show Nja this meat!" 

After this, little Tortoise grew, and began to go by itself, 
walking about the town. Tortoise told the child, "Do not 
show Nja the things you eat. " But, the child did not obey. 
One day, it went off toward Leopard's house, having in its 
hand the flesh of the wild animal it was eating. Tortoise 
saw his child going and called him back, but, he ran rapidly 
away to Leopard's; who, seeing the child with food in its 
hand, cried out, "Come here!" Leopard took hold of the 
child's hand to see what meat he was eating, and said to him, 
"Your father has no gun; where does he get all this meat.?" 
The child was silent, not knowing whence the meat came, 
and did not answer; and he returned to his father's house. 

So, Leopard said to himself, "Kudu and I must have a 
talk. " He told his wife to make ready their food. She did 
so. Then he told one of his children, " Go ! call Kudu to come 
and eat with me. " The child went and told as he was bidden. 
Tortoise sent word, "I can't come." His wife, however, 
said to him, "Go!" Tortoise objected to her, saying, "I'm 
afraid of that man!" Still his wife said to him, "Go!" So, 
he went. 

Leopard set out the food that had been prepared. Then 
he asked Tortoise, "Where did you get the meat which I saw 
with your child?" Tortoise replied, "I picked it up." Leop- 
ard said, " No ! don't tell lies ! " They changed the conver- 
sation, and went on eating. When they were done, Tortoise 
went back to his house. 



WHERE ANIMALS TALK 155 

Next day, Leopard said to his people, "I'm going to visit 
Kudu." So he went, and entered into the house of the wife 
of Tortoise. There he saw much dried wild meat. He ex- 
claimed, "O! Kudu! you told me falsely! You and I living 
in the same town, can't you let me know what happens?" 

Then Leopard went back to his house. That evening he 
said to his children, ''Go to the house of Kudu. If you 
see a hunting-bag hanging there, take hold of it; with a knife 
pierce holes in the bottom; and fill the bag wdth ashes." 
They did so, putting in much ashes. They returned to their 
father, and told him what they had done. He replied, "Very 
good!" 

That night. Tortoise said to his wife, "Tomorrow, I shall 
not go out hunting." But, she said, "Yes! Go! and kill me 
some animal." So, he consented. 

Then day began to break. Tortoise went into the en- 
trance-room; thence he took his hunting-bag; but, in the 
dark of the morning, he saw nothing wrong about it. And 
he went on his way. 

Soon, also, Leopard came out of his house; and, going to 
the house of Tortoise, he inquired, "Kudu is in the house?" 
The wife of Tortoise from her bed-room, replied, "Kudu is 
not here." Then Leopard went into the entrance-room of 
Tortoise; and looking about, he saw that the bag was not 
there. So, he followed after Tortoise; and, as he walked, 
he looked out for marks of the ashes. He followed, and he 
followed; and finally overtook Tortoise. 

Tortoise, as soon as he saw Leopard coming, said to him, 
" I 'm going back to town ! " Leopard asked, " Why? Don't 
go! Why do you go?" Tortoise, remembering his having 
said he was "a great man," answered, "Because you are 
proud." But, Leopard insisted, "No! go on where you were 
going." So, Tortoise consented, "Well, let us go!" 

They went, and came to the town of Men. And they found 
that the men were gone off into the forest. Tortoise observed 
that the house was closed and locked. Leopard said to him, 
"Open the house!" But Tortoise replied, "You, Nja you 
open the house!" But, Leopard said, "I am a stranger here; 
you travel here continually; you know the way!" So, Tor- 
. oise opened the house; and they both entered. 

Leopard saw the bodies of many wild animals drying in the 



156 WHERE ANIMALS TALK 

house. Tortoise said to him, '* Carry the meat, and let us 
go!" But, Leopard said, *'No! I'm staying here, and will 
cook some meat here." Tortoise objected, "No! take the 
meat and let us go. For, here are great Men who kill us 
people. " 

However, Leopard insisted, "No! first let me eat." So, 
Tortoise said, "Very well! I'll carry away my share; for, I'm 
going." But Leopard still insisted, "No! wait for me." 
So, Tortoise yielded, and waited for him in the house. 

Leopard cooked his meat. While the pot was on the fire- 
place, and before he had eaten, suddenly the Men returned. 
Tortoise exclaimed, "The Men of the Town have returned! 
What shall we do?" For himself. Tortoise said, "I'm going 
to hide in the bedroom ! " But, Leopard said, " No ! I 'm the 
elder; the bedroom is the place for me." He went into the 
bedroom. Tortoise remained in the reception-room, and 
hid himself in a pile of the women's cassava leaves. 

Soon afterward, the Men also came into that room. And 
a woman said, "I left those leaves here when I was cooking. 
I must throw them into the back yard." So, she swept the 
leaves (with Tortoise unseen among them) in a heap, and 
threw them out doors. 

In the bedroom, where Leopard had hidden, there was a 
child of this woman, sick with a skin-disease. The woman 
called out to her child, "My child! are you there.?" The 
child replied, "Yes!" The Men in the entrance-room, ob- 
serving the pot on the fire, asked the woman, "\\Tiile we 
were away, did you leave a kettle on the fire-place?" The 
woman, thinking the pot belonged to someone else who had 
been cooking, answered, "No." The Men then directed 
her, "Make food for us!" So, she made them food in that 
pot which Leopard had left, adding other meat to it. 

The child in the bedroom, smelling the odor of cooking, 
called out, "Mother! I want to eat!" So, the mother made 
food for him. And she took the plate to him, setting it down 
in the doorway, (but did not enter the room, and so did not 
see Leopard). 

Leopard took the child's food. The child, in terror, made 
no out-cry. Leopard ate up all the food. Then the child 
began to weep. The mother, hearing, asked, "Why do you 
cry?" The child answered, "For hunger." 



WHERE ANIMALS TALK 157 

She wondered that that plateful had not been sufficient; 
but, she made him more food. And she brought it to him 
into the room, but she did not see the Leopard; nor did the 
child tell her. She left the food there, and went out. The 
child was about to take the food to eat it, when Leopard 
again snatched it away. But, even then, the child, in fear, 
did not scream out. And Leopard ate all the food. 

Then the child began to weep out aloud. The mother 
again asked, "What do you want?" The child answered, 
*'I want food." The mother wondered much, and, hasten- 
ing into the bedroom, she saw Leopard. Then she shouted, 
"Men! Here's Nja!" The men came, and they killed Leop- 
ard. 

All this while. Tortoise remained hidden in the bushes 
outside; and he heard all that was happening. He said to 
himself, "I'm going to town to tell the children of Nja that 
he is dead." So, he went back to his town. At first, he 
told only his wife, "Men have killed Nja." Then he said, 
"I must now call the children of Nja." 

So, he called all the people of Leopard. And he said to 
them, "I will tell you something; but, don't kill me for my 
evil news. So, I tell you, Nja is dead!" They all laughed 
in derision, as if it was not possible, "We will know about 
that matter tomorrow!" 

And that day darkened. In the evening. Tortoise told 
his wife and children, "We must flee to another place." 
For, he feared that Leopard's people would charge him with 
their father's death. So, that night they fled. And they 
built their town far away at another place. 

When the children of Leopard saw that Tortoise had fled, 
they believed him guilty; and they said, "The day we shall 
see Kudu, we will kill him. " 

Tortoise and his family had been living at their new place 
only about a month, when, one day, he said to his family, 
"I'm going on a journey to the town of Mbama." So he 
went to that town. He stayed there visiting about a week. 
While there, he said to Boa, "If a child of Nja comes here, 
hide me." Shortly afterward, a child of Leopard did come. 
Boa took Tortoise, and set him for safety on a rock in the 
middle of the river. Tortoise sat there a long time; and, 
while there, he laid what looked like an egg. Surprised, he 



158 WHERE ANIMALS TALK 

threw it into the water; and it floated away. Finally it came 
ashore at the landing-place of Crocodile's town. 

Crocodile saw it, and said, "Go, and seek the person who 
made this thing." His children went to seek. They jour- 
neyed, and found Tortoise, and took him. They brought 
him to their father, and told him, "This is the person." 
Crocodile asked Tortoise, ' ' You made this Thing ? ' ' Tortoise 
said "Yes!" Then Crocodile told him, "Make me many of 
these Things." So Tortoise told him, "Bring me here a 
great many plantains; and arrange the house in order." 
Crocodile arranged all the house nicely. Tortoise entered 
it, and was given an inside room. He remained there in that 
room all by himself with the plantains. 

At last, one day he emerged. And he said to Crocodile, 
"Send me in company with one of your people across the 
river." Crocodile told him, "You yourself name the person 
who shall go with you. " Tortoise said he wanted Crocodile's 
cousin Igwana, who was living there with Crocodile's people. 

So Igwana and Tortoise got into a canoe, and started to 
cross the river. Crocodile then entered the room where 
Tortoise had been. Searching there, he did not find any of 
the Things which Tortoise had promised to make. So Croc- 
odile shouted after Tortoise, whose canoe had not yet crossed 
the river, to come back. Tortoise heard; and he asked 
Igwana, "Do you hear how Crocodile is calling to you?" 
Don't you know what he is saying .f^" (Natives believe the 
Igwana to be deaf.) Igwana answered, "No! what does he 
say.f^" Tortoise said, "He tells you to paddle faster! Don't 
be so slow!" So, Igwana paddled rapidly; and soon his 
work was finished; and they reached the other side. There, 
Tortoise got out of the canoe; and he told Igwana to go back. 
Igwana did so. And Tortoise went on his way. 

After a while, a child of Leopard met with Tortoise on the 
path. The child asked him, "Is not this Kudu.^^" Tortoise 
replied, "Yes, I am he." Then the child of Leopard said to 
him, "You killed my father! I shall also kill you!" So, he 
killed Tortoise. 



WHERE ANIMALS TALK 159 

TALE 20 

Leopard's Hunting Companions 
Persons 

Njd (Leopard) and His Neph- Nyati (Ox) 

ew Njaku (Elephant) 

Etoli (House-Rat) Ko (Wild-Rat) 

Ngomba (Porcupine) Kudu (Tortoise) 

Iheli (Gazelle) Indondobe (Wagtail) 



Leopard and other Beasts, with a son of Leopard's sister, 
were residing in the same town. One day, Leopard said to 
the others, "I have here a word to say." They replied, 
"Tell it. " "We must go to kill Beasts (not of our company) 
for our food, at a place which I will show you a number of 
miles away. " And they made their arrangements. 

After two days, he said, " Now, for the journey ! " So they 
finished their preparations. And Leopard said to his nephew, 
"You stay in the town. I and the others will go to our work." 

They began their journey, and had gone only a part of the 
way, when Leopard exclaimed, "I forgot my spear! Wait 
for me while I go back to the town." There he found his 
nephew sitting down, waiting. Leopard said to him, " I have 
come to tell you that, every day, while we are away, you 
must come early to where we are killing the animals; and 
secretly you must take away the meat and bring it here to 
my house." The nephew heard and promised. 

Leopard returned to the others who were awaiting him 
on the road, and told them to come on. They went, and 
they arrived at the spot which he had chosen. There they 
hastily built a small house for their camp. The next day 
they said, "Now, let us go and make our snares for the 
animals." They began making snares; and set their traps 
early in the afternoon. A few hours later, they returned to 
the camp. Later still, before sunset, they said, "Let us go 
to examine our snares. " They found they had caught an 



160 WHERE ANIMALS TALK 

Igwana. They killed it and put it on the drying-frame over 
the fire in the house. 

Then the day darkened. And they went to their sleep. 

And then the day broke. 

And Leopard said, "While we go to the snares, who shall 
remain to take care of this house?" They agreed, "Let 
Etoli stay at the camp." House-Rat assented, "All right." 
So the others went away together. 

The camp had been made near a smnll stream. At that 
same hour, Leopard's nephew came to the camp, according 
to his uncle's directions. He had in his hands a plate and a 
drum. He came near to the house cautiously. With the 
plate he twice sw^ept the surface of the water, as if bailing out 
a canoe. Rat heard the swish of the water, and called out, 
"Who is splashing water there? Who is dabbhng in this 
water?" The nephew responded, "It is I, a friend." And 
Rat said, "Well, then come." 

The nephew came to the house. After a little conversa- 
tion, he said to Rat, "I have here a drum, and, while I beat 
it, you dance for me." Rat was pleased, and said, "Very 
well." So, the nephew beat the drum, and Rat danced. 
After a while, the nephew said to Rat, "Go you, out into the 
front, and dance there, while I beat the drum here." As 
Rat went out, the nephew snatched the dried meat and ran 
away with it, suddenly disappearing around a corner of the 
house. He came to the town, and placed the meat in his 
own house. 

Rat waited a while in the front, and, not hearing the drum 
came back into the house, and called out, "Chum! where are 
you?" He looked about, and his eyes falling on the drying- 
frame, he saw that the dried meat was not there. He began 
to mourn, "Ah! Leopard will kill me to day, because of the 
loss of his meat. " 

While he was thus speaking, the company of trappers, 
together with Leopard, came back from their morning's 
work. Leopard told Rat all that had occurred to them in 
the forest at their traps and snares; and then said, "Now, 
tell me what you have been doing, and the happenings of 
this camp." Rat told him, "Some one has come and taken 
away the dried meat, but I did not see who it was. " Leopard 
said, "You are full of falsehood. Yourself have eaten it 



WHERE ANIMALS TALK 161 

while we were away in the forest. " So, Leopard gave him a 
heavy flogging. Then they put on the drying-frame the 
animal they had trapped that day. 

The next day they went again to the forest; and Wild-Rat 
was left in charge of the camp. The nephew came, as on the 
day before, with his plate and drum, and did in the same 
way at the water. And he deceived the Wild-Rat with his 
drumming, in the same way as he had done to House-Rat. 

When Leopard and the others came back from the forest, 
Wild-Rat told him of the loss of the meat; and said that he 
had seen no one, and did not know who took it. Leopard 
said to him, "You, Ko, have eaten the meat, just as your 
relative Etoli ate his yesterday." 

Thus Leopard and his company went each day to the 
traps. On the third day, Porcupine was caught; on the 
fourth Gazelle; on the fifth. Ox; on the sixth, Elephant. 
Beast after beast was caught, killed and dried; and, day by 
day, the meat of all was stolen. The last to be thus caught 
and stolen was Tortoise. 

The nephew in Leopard's town, looked with satisfaction 
on the pile of dried meat that had been collected in his own 
house. He said to himself, "My uncle told me to gather 
them; and I have done so. But, I will not put them in Uncle's 
house." 

In the camp, there was left onl^^ one animal of Leopard's 
companions that had not been placed on guard. It was a 
Bird, a water Wag-tail. It said to Leopard one day, "While 
you all go on your errand today, I will remain as keeper of 
the house." Leopard replied, "No! my friend, I don't wish 
you to remain." (For, Leopard knew that that Bird was 
very cautious and wise, more so than some other animals.) 
Nevertheless, they went, leaving the Bird in charge of the 
house. 

The nephew came, as usual, with his plate and drum. He 
splashed the water of the stream as usual, to see whether 
there was anyone in the house to respond. And the Bird 
asked, "Who are you.^ " The nephew answered, in a humble 
voice, "I." He came on through the stream, on his way, 
catching two cray-fish. He entered the house, and he said 
to the Bird, "Get me some salt, and a leaf in which to tie and 
roast these cray-fish. " When the Bird gave him the leaf, he 



162 WHERE ANIMALS TALK 

tied them in it, and laid the small bundle on the coals on the 
fire-place. But he at once took up the bundle, opened it, 
and ate the fish, before they were really cooked. The Bird 
said to him, "Those fish were not yet cooked. Your stomach 
is like your Uncle Nja's. Both you and your Uncle like to 
eat things raw." 

The Bird at once suspected that the nephew was the thief. 
When the nephew said, "I have here a drum," Bird at once, 
as if very willing, replied, "Drum! I want to dance." The 
nephew was standing in the front with his drum, and he said 
to Bird, "Come and dance out here; for, the drum sounds 
much better outside." But the Bird said, "I will not dance 
in the same place with you. " The nephew then said, " Well, 
then; change places; you come here, and I go into the house. " 
But the Bird refused, "No! I stay in the house. " 

Most of the morning was thus spent by the nephew trying 
to deceive the Bird, and get into the house alone. Finally, 
the nephew wearied, and gave up the effort and left. 

Soon the company of trappers with Leopard returned from 
the forest. He told the Bird all the news of their forest work. 
Looking at the drying-frames. Leopard saw that the dried 
meat was still there. He thought in his heart, " My nephew 
has not come today to get this meat." 

The Bird then told Leopard all the news of the camp, and 
how the nephew had been acting. At the last, he exclaimed, 
"So! it is your nephew who has been coming here every day 
to take away the dried meat!" And all the animals agreed, 
"So! so! that's so!" But Leopard replied, "I don't believe 
it. But, let us adjourn and examine." (He supposed the 
meat was hidden in his own house, and would not be dis- 
covered.) 

They all scattered, and hastened to their town. There 
they entered the nephew's house; and there they found a great 
pile of dried meat. They proved the theft on Leopard him- 
self, pointing out, "Here is the very meat in the house of one 
of your own family. We are sure that you yourself made 
the conspiracy with your nephew for him to do the stealing 
for you." And they all denounced him, "You are a thief 
and a liar! You shall not join with us any more in the same 
town. " 

Leopard went away in wrath saying, "Do you prove it on 



WHERE ANIMALS TALK 163 

me? Well then! all you beasts, whenever and wherever I 
shall meet you, it will be only to eat you!" 

So, leopards are always enemies to all other animals, and 
they kill them whenever they are able. 



TALE 21 

Is THE Bat a Bird or a Beast? 

Persons 

Ndemi (Bat) and his Mother Vyadu (Antelope) 
Joba (The Sun) Hako (Ants) 

Other Animals and Birds 

NOTE 

In Tropical Africa, it is not usual to retain a corpse unbur- 
ied as long as 24 hours. Bat retained his mother's corpse 
too long. The "Driver" Ants of that country are natural 
scavengers. 

A reason why bats are not seen in the day time: — Also, 
why they make their plaintive cry at night, as if they were 
calling for their mother. 



Bat lived at a place by itself, with only its mother. Shortly 
after their settling there, the mother became sick, very near 
to death. Bat called for Antelope, and said to him, "Make 
medicine for my mother." Antelope looked steadily at her 
to discern her disease. Then he told Bat, "There is no one 
who can make the medicine that will cure your mother, 
except Joba." Having given this information, Antelope 
returned to his own place. 

On another day, early in the morning. Bat arose to go to 
call Sun. He did not start until about seven o'clock. He 
met Sun on the road about eleven o'clock. And he said to 



164 WHERE ANIMALS TALK 

Sun, "My journey was on the way to see you." Sun told 
him, " If you have a word to say, speak ! " So Bat requested, 
"Come! make Medicine for my mother. She is sick. " But 
Sun rephed, "I can't go to make medicine unless you meet 
me in my house; not here on the road. Go back; and come 
to me at my house tomorrow." So, Bat went back to his 
town. 

And the day darkened. And they all slept their sleep. 

And the next day broke. At six o'clock, Bat started to go 
to call Sun. About nine o'clock, he met Sun on the path; and 
he told Sun what he was come for. But Sun said to him, 
"Whenever I emerge from my house, I do not go back, but 
I keep on to the end of my journey. Go back, for another 
day. " Bat returned to his town. 

He made other journeys in order to see Sun at his house, 
five successive days; and every day he was late, and met Sun 
already on the way of his own journey for his own business. 

Finally, on the seventh day. Bat's mother died. Then 
Bat, in his grief, said, "It is Joba who has killed my mother! 
Had he made medicine for me, she would have recovered." 

Very many people came together that day in a crowd, at 
the Xwedi (mourning) for the dead. The wailing was held 
from six o'clock in the morning until eleven o'clock of the 
next day. At that hour. Bat announced, "Let her be taken 
to the grave." He called other Beasts to go into the house 
together with him, in order to carry the corpse. They took 
up the body, and carried it on the way to the grave. 

On their arrival at the grave, these Beasts said to Bat, 
"We have a rule that, before we bury a person, we must first 
look upon the face. " (To identify it) . So, they opened the 
coffin. When they had looked on the face, they said, "No! 
we can't bury this person; for, it is not our relative, it does 
not belong to us Beasts. This person indeed resembles us 
in having teeth like us. And it also has a head like us. 
But, that it has wings, makes it look like a bird. It is a bird. 
Call for the Birds! We will disperse. " So, they dispersed. 

Then Bat called the Birds to come. They came, big and 
little; Pelicans, Eagles, Herons and all the others. When 
they all had come together, they said to Bat, "Show us the 
dead body. " He told them, "Here it is ! Come ! look upon 



WHERE ANIMALS TALK 165 

it!" They looked and examined carefully. Then they said, 
"Yes! it resembles us; for, it has wings as we. But, about 
the teeth. No! We birds, none of us, have any teeth. This 
person does not resemble us with those teeth. It does not 
belong to us." And all the Birds stepped aside. 

During the while that the talking had been going on. Ants 
had come and laid hold of the body, and could not be driven 
away. Then one of the Birds said to Bat, "I told you, 
you ought not to delay the burial, for, many things might 
happen." The Ants had eaten the body and there was no 
burial. And all the birds and beasts went away. 

Bat, left alone, said to himself, "All the fault of all this 
trouble is because of Joba. If he had made medicine, my 
mother would not be dead. So, I, Ndemi, and Joba shall 
not look on each other. We shall have no friendship. If he 
emerges, I shall hide myself. I won't meet him or look at 
him. " And he added, " I shall mourn for my mother always. 
I will make no visits. I will walk about only at night, not in 
the daytime, lest I meet Joba or other people. " 



TALE m 

Dog, and His Human Speech (1st Version) 

Persons 

Mbw^a (Dog) , and His Mother A Man Njambo, and Daugh- 
ter Eyale 

NOTE 

In the pre-historic times, from which these tales come, all 
animals, both human and (what we now call) the lower 
animals, were supposed to associate together, even in mar- 
riage. This son Mbwa, in form (and speaking also) like what 
we now call a "Dog," spoke also w4th human speech. The 
reason is here given why this ancestor of Dogs left the country 
of the Beasts. But, though Dogs now live with Mankind, 
they cannot use human speech as their ancestor did. They 
can only say "Ow! Ow!" 



166 WHERE ANIMALS TALK 

Dog and his mother were the only inhabitants of their 
hamlet. He had the power to speak both as a beast and as 
a human being. 

One day the mother said to the son, "You are now a strong 
man; go, and seek a marriage. Go, and marry Eyale, the 
daughter of Njambo. " And he said to his mother, "I will go 
tomorrow. " 

That day darkened. And they both went to lie down in 
their places for sleep. 

Then soon, another day began to break. 

Dog said to his mother, "This is the time of my journey." 
It was about sun-rise in the morning. And he began his 
journey. He went the distance of about eight miles; and 
arrived at the journey's end before the middle of the morning. 

He entered the house of Njambo, the father of Eyale. 
Njambo and his wife saluted him, " Mbolo ! " and he respond- 
ed, "Ai! mbolo!" Njambo asked him, " My friend ! what is 
the cause of your journey? " Dog, with his animal language, 
answered, "I have come to marry your daughter Eyale." 
Njambo consented; and the mother of the girl also agreed. 
They called their daughter, and asked her; and she also replied, 
"Yes! with all my heart." This young woman was of very 
fine appearance in face and body. So, all the parties agreed 
to the marriage. 

After that, about sun-set in the evening, when they sat 
down at supper, the son-in-law. Dog, was not able to eat 
for some unknown reason. 

That day darkened; and they went to their sleep. 

And, then, the next daylight broke. But, by an hour 
after sunrise in the morning. Dog had not risen; he was 
still asleep. 

The mother of the woman said to her, "Get some water 
ready for the washing of your husband's face, whenever he 
shall awake." She also said to her daughter, "I am going 
to go into the forest to the plantation to get food for your 
husband; for, since his coming, he has not eaten. Also, 
here is a chicken; the lads may kill and prepare it. But, 
you yourself must split Uganda (gourd-seeds, whose oily 
kernels are mashed into a pudding). She handed Eyale the 
dish of gourd-seeds, and went off into the forest. Njambo 
also went away on an errand with his wife. The daughter 



WHERE ANIMALS TALK 167 

took the dish of seeds, and, sitting down, began to shell them. 
As she shelled, she threw the kernels on the ground, but the 
shells she put on a plate. 

Shortly after the mother had gone, Dog woke from sleep. 
He rose from his bed, and came out to the room where his 
wife was, and stood near her, watching her working at the 
seeds. He stood silent, looking closely, and observed that 
she was still throwing away the kernels, the good part, and 
saving the shells on the plate. He spoke to her with his 
human voice, "No! woman! not so! Do you throw the good 
parts, to the ground, and the worthless husks onto the plate? " 

While he was thus speaking to his wife, she suddenly fell to 
the ground. And at once she died. He laid hold of her to 
lift her up. But, behold! she was a corpse. 

Soon afterwards, the father and the mother came, having 
returned from their errands. They found their child a 
corpse; and they said to Dog, "Mbwa! What is this?" 
He, with his own language replied, "I cannot tell." But, 
they insisted, "Tell us the reason!" 

So Dog spoke with his human voice, "You, Woman, went 
to the forest while I was asleep. You, Man, you also went 
in company of your wife, while I was asleep. When I rose 
from sleep, I found my wife was cracking nganda. She was 
taking the good kernels to throw on the ground, and was 
keeping the shells for the plate. And I spoke and told her, 
'The good kernels which you are throwing on the ground are 
to be eaten, not the husks. ' " 

While he was telling them this, they too, also fell to the 
ground, and died, apparently without cause. 

When the people of the town heard about all this, they said, 
"This person carries an evil Medicine for killing people. 
Let him be seized and killed!" 

So Dog fled away rapidly into the forest; and he finally 
reached the hamlet of his mother. His body was scratched 
and torn by the branches and thorns of the bushes of the 
forest, in his hasty flight. His mother exclaimed, "Mbwa! 
What's the matter? Such haste! and your body so disorder- 
ed!" He replied, using their own language, "No! I won't 
tell you. I won't speak." But, his mother begged him, 
"Please! my child! tell me!" So, finally, he spoke, using 
his strange voice, and said, " My mother ! I tell you ! Njambo 



168 WHERE ANIMALS TALK 

and his wife liked me for the marriage; and the woman con- 
sented entirely. I was at that time asleep, when the Man 
and his wife went to the forest. When I rose from my sleep, 
I found the woman Eyale cracking nganda, and throwing 
away the kernels, and keeping the husks. And I told her, 
*The good ones which you are throwing away are the ones 
to be eaten.' And, at once she died. " 

While he was speaking thus to his mother, she also fell 
dead on the ground. The news was carried to the town of 
Dog's mother's brother, and very many people came to the 
Mourning. His Uncle came to Dog, and said, "Mbwa! 
what is the reason of all this.^*" But Dog would not answer. 
He only said, "No! I won't speak." Then they all begged 
him, "Tell us the reason." But he replied only, "No! I 
won't speak." 

Finally, as they urged him, he chose two of them, and 
said to the company, "The rest of you remain here, and 
watch while I go and speak to these two. " Then Dog spoke 
to those two men with the same voice as he had to his mother. 
And, at once they died, as she had died. Then he exclaimed, 
"Ah! No! If I speak so, people will come to an end!" And 
all the people agreed, "Yes, Mbwa! it is so. Your human 
speech kills us people. Don't speak any more." 

And he went away to live with Mankind. 



TALE 22 

Dog, and His Human Speech (2nd Version) 

Persons 

Njambo, His Wife Nyangwa- His Three Other Wives, 

Mbwa, and His Son Mbwa [ Majanga, 

(Dog) Inyanji, _ 

The Prophet, Totode, and a [ Mamendi; and Her Two 

Sorcerer, Nja-Ya-Melema- Twins. 

Mya-Bato 



WHERE ANIMALS TALK 169 



NOTE 

Some African ant-hills are built in upright pillars, varying 
in diameter from 3 to 10 inches, and in height from 1 ft. to 3 
ft. 

The bearing of a monstrosity formerly was punished (and 
in some tribes still) by driving the mother into seclusion in 
the forest, and generally with killing of the child. In some 
tribes, twins were considered monstrosities. 

The "Heart-beat" of Nyangw^e-Mbwa was the commonly 
believed premonition of coming evil. 

There are many kinds of food, of which women are not 
allowed to partake. 

Though the three sisters w^ere daughters of the same 
mother, the jealousy of two of them for the other one led 
them to hatred, and an attempt at murder. Their curse 
laid on Mbwa caused him to be a speechless beast; for, previ- 
ous to that, he was talking as a human being. "Heart- 
life" is an entity distinct from both Body and Soul. 



Njambu married a woman named Nyangwa-Mbwa. She 
bore a creature that looked like no animal that existed at 
that time. But, because he spoke as a human being, he was 
not considered a Beast. He was given part of his mother's 
name, Mbwa. 

Njambu added other marriages. Among them he ob- 
tained three women, each one of whom had a special office. 
That of Majanga was to keep things clean. That of Inyanji 
for planting. Mamendi said that her work should be to bear 
twins. Now, these three women were sisters. The other 
two were jealous of Mamendi, because her work was greater 
and more honorable than their's. 

In the course of time, Mamendi conceived; her pregnancy 
went regularly on. And the time for her confinement came. 
Majanga and Inyanji went to deliver her. But they tied a 
napkin over her face, and covered her eyes lest she should 
see what they would do to her. When the time of the birth 
was at hand, she bore twins. 



170 WHERE ANIMALS TALK 

Then Inyanji and Majanga threw the twins into the pig- 
pen. And they took two ant-hills (slender conical structures) . 
They smeared them with blood. And they went and showed 
them to Njambu as the things which Mamendi had borne. 
Njambu said, "Go! and throw those things into the forest." 

But Mbwa was going about; and as he went, he was scent- 
ing, till he came to the pig-pen; and he saw the twins. He 
took them, and carried them to his mother in their hut, 
which was isolated from the town. When the two women 
had left the twins in the pig-pen, their intention was that 
the pigs might kill them; and the women did not know that 
Mbwa had removed them. The twins stayed with Nyangwa- 
Mbwa, and she fed them and nursed them. 

But, when Majanga and Inyanji heard that those children 
were in the hamlet of Mbwa's mother, they said, "We will 
go there tomorrow. 

Early in the morning, Nyangwa-Mbwa had gone to the 
forest to her garden. When the two women came; they 
found the twins lying down. So, they struck them a blow; 
and they died. 

The while that Nyangwa-Mbwa was in the forest, her heart 
beat with anxiety. She at once picked up her basket, and 
came to her village, and found the corpses of both the twins. 
Then she began to cry. 

Mbwa also came, and found the dead bodies stretched out. 
Right away, he knew what had happened. So he went to 
the Prophet Totode, and inquired what he should do. Totode 
asked him, "Are you able to go to the town of Doctor Nja- 
ya-melema-mya-bato ? (Hunger-f or- the-hearts-of -people) . " 
He agreed "Yes, I will go there. " Then he went to the town 
of the Doctor. 

A child of the Doctor spoke to Mbwa, and asked," What 
have you come to do.^" He answered, "I have come to 
seek heart-life; because my father's wives have killed from 
me two children." 

Already Nja-ya-melema-mya-batohad goneto killpeoplefor 
himself. In a little while he returned and suddenly, pieces 
of meat (from the dead bodies) began to fall, kidi ! kidi ! being 
thrown out on the ground in the street. Mbwa, awaiting a 
chance, hid himself under a bed. 

Then came the Doctor bringing in the heart-lives of the 



WHERE ANIMALS TALK 171 

men he had killed. Mbwa, without permission, seized two 
of the hearts, and ran out quickly. Nja-ya-melema-mya-bato 
followed after him, running rapidly, da! da! da! But he did 
not overtake Mbwa. 

Mbwa ran in haste with the hearts, on to his village. There 
he thrust the new lives into the children. The twins arose 
again to life and stood, to show themselves, and then they 
sat down. 

Those twins went on growing, and became stout young 
men. 

One day they said to Mbwa, "We want guns." He went 
to his father, in the town, and said, "I want two guns." 
His father produced two guns for him. He took them, went 
to his home, and handed them to the twins. Then they 
tried the guns, and loaded them. 

Next day, in the morning, they went out early to hunt; 
they killed two gazelles; and they took them to their village. 
Mbwa cut up one of the beasts; and he said to his mother, 
"Cook it." Then he took the other one to his father. His 
father cut it up; and he called Majanga and Inyanji; and, 
dividing the meat, he said to them, "Go ye, and cook these 
in the pot, and those in a jomba. " (Mbwa himself was still 
in the house watching them.) They boiled, and cooked; 
they put in the salt and pepper; and were about to taste 
the soup when Mbwa said, "Not so! This meat is not to be 
eaten by women. " 

They took the food to the Reception-house, where their 
husband Njambu ate; and he laid aside some for them. But, 
what he laid aside for those women, Mbwa drew away and 
ate. Then he returned to his home. His mother made 
food; and they ate, all four of them. 

Next morning, the twins returned to their hunting. They 
killed also three antelopes, and they carried them to take 
them to their home, and left them in the path on the way 
outside of the village. In the village, they said to Mbwa, 
"Go, and bring the beasts from the forest. " 

Mbwa started, and brought them to the village. He 
carried two to his father. His brothers exclaimed, "\Miere 
does Mbwa kill all those animals.^" His father cut up the 
animals, and divided one with his children. He cut up the 
other, saying, "This belongs to myself." Then he prepared 



172 WHERE ANIMALS TALK 

some to be cooked in momba (bundles tied in plantain leaves), 
and some to be dried, and some to be boiled. 

The women boiled the food (Mbwa still watching them). 
When it was cooked, they lifted up the pot from the fire, and 
they were about to taste it, when Mbwa said, "No! you 
must not taste it!" They put it in bowls, and set the food 
before their husband; and he ate. When he was about to 
give some to his wives, Mbwa said, "Not so!" 

The twins continued with their hunting just the same as 
at the first. Almost every day they were killing some animal. 
And Mbwa continued also with carrying meat to the town 
of his father. 

Finally, the twins became full-grown men. Then Mbwa 
said to himself, "Now, I'm ready to bring this matter to the 
ears of the people." When another day came, he said to 
his father, "Tomorrow, call all the people of the town to- 
gether, in the afternoon." 

On the next day, his father did so. Mbwa dressed the 
twins very finely; and brought out three chairs, two for the 
twins, and one for his mother. All the people collected 
together. Thereupon, he brought forward his mother, and 
the twins. The people fixed their eyes on them; for they 
had not seen them in their little hamlet in the forest. The 
people exclaimed, "What fine-looking persons!" 

Then Mbwa stood up. He said, "Ye people! I have 
called you all that ye may recognize these two young men. " 
The people said that they did not know them. He con- 
tinued, "These are my father's children. For, my father 
had married these three women. Also, they had three 
duties; Majanga, her duty of keeping the house clean; Iny- 
anji, her duty of planting; and Mamendi's was the bearing 
of twins. Mamendi became a mother. On the day of her 
confinement, her two sisters went to deliver her. They took 
a napkin and covered her eyes. And she bore these two 
twins. They threw them inside the pig-pen. And they 
took two small earthen pillars instead, and they went and 
showed them to their husband. Then, I entered the pig- 
pen; and I took these children out; and brought them to my 
mother. So, these children grew up. And they began 
hunting. You, my father, you remember when I brought 
you the wild meat, and you were about to give to these 



WHERE ANIMALS TALK 



173 



women; but, I went and took away the food. The reason is, 
because they are the ones who tried to kill the children. I 
brought them up from childhood to be men as now. So, 
this caused me to bring this case before the presence of all 
people; for, I say that those two women were murderesses. 
So, then, my father, these are your children; but, if you 
retain those women, these two twins shall not be your sons, " 

Upon this, the father of Mbwa said, "Catch ye both of the 
women!" And they were bound in that self-same hour. 
(They had supposed that the twins had died when they had 
struck them in the hamlet of Mbwa's mother.) They could 
not deny. In their anger, as they were led away, they called 
out to Mbwa, "Mbwa-0!" He assented, "Eh? What is 
it?" They replied in anger, for having informed on them. 
And they laid a curse on him, saying, "You will never speak 
again with the voice of a human being. You shall be a dumb 
beast." 

But, the people took them, to be thrown into the depth 
of the sea. 



TALE 23 

The Savior of the Animals 
Persons 



Njambo and Wife 

and Son Utigebodi 
Ngwayi (Partridge) 
The Prophet Njambi 
Yungu (Eagle) 
Etoli (Rat) 



Njaku (Elephant) 
Nyati (Ox) 
Kudu (Tortoise) 
Nja (Leopard) 
Ngomba (Porcupine) 
Inani (Bird) 



NOTE 



This story plays on the meaning of the name U-tige-bode. 
It is an ancient word, not now used, meaning, "He-Who- 
Sa ves -People. " In the Son's given name; his saving of 
the unworthy, in response to their appeals for mercy; his 



174 WHERE ANIMALS TALK 

bearing of his father's wrath; his punishment on a tree; the 
derision of the very passers by, for whom he was to die, I 
think the legend echoes, even though faintly, the story of 
the Christ. 



Njambo married two women. He begot twenty- three 
children. And they all died. Also one of the wives died. 
There were left only himself, and one wife. 

The woman was old, and the man also was old. But, 
the woman was again to become a mother; and, at the proper 
time, she bore a child. The child was a male. The woman 
called the husband, saying, "Come! and give your boy a 
name." The husband said, "The name of the child is 
Utigebode. " 

After this, the child grew to be a large man. One day, he 
said to his father, " Paia ! I 'm going to set snares in the forest." 
The father replied, "Yes! go! and catch me food!" He 
went. And he returned that morning. In the afternoon, 
he went back to examine the snares. And he found that 
two Partridges were caught. He exclaimed, "I'm very glad! 
My father shall eat one today, and the other shall be kept for 
tomorrow." Then the Partridges asked him, "What is 
your name?" He answered, " One-Who-Saves-People. " 
Then the Partridges said, "If that is so, why are you about 
to Mil us?" 

On another day, in the morning, he went again to examine 
his snares. And he found two Antelope (Tragelephas) . He 
was glad; and he said, "I feel very good! My father shall 
eat one; and the other can be cooked for another day. " The 
Antelopes asked him, "What's your name?" He answered, 
" One-Who-Saves-People. " Again, they asked, "Why then 
are you about to kill us?" He replied, "That's so! Well! 
go!" And he returned to town. 

That afternoon he went out again, and found two Gazelles. 
And he said, "I'll take these two to town at once; and my 
father shall eat one today, and the other tomorrow." But 
the Gazelles said, " No ! — you are the One-Who-Saves-People ! 
Why then should you kill us?" So he loosed them, and let 
them go. 

He did the same way to two Elephants. And with two 



WHERE ANIMALS TALK 175 

Oxen. At another time he found two Tortoises. And the 
Tortoises spoke to him as had done the others. And on 
another day, he found two Leopards. And, he released the 
Leopards, in the same way. At another time, two Porcu- 
pines, in the same way. 

One after another, almost all the Beasts were thus trapped 
and released. There was not one beast brought by Utigebode 
to his village; he freed them all. 

So, his father said to him, "My child! since you have set 
your snares, I have not seen you bring in a single beast, 
even an Etoli. What are you doing? I shall change your 
name. For, now that I am old, it is right for you to save 
me, and help me with food. " 

Utigebode replied evasively, *' Since I set the snares, I 
have not caught even a Inani. " The father said, "Well! if 
it is true that you have not killed any Beast or Bird, I will 
know tomorrow." 

The next day broke ; and the father went to the village of 
Prophet Njambi. The Prophet saluted him, "What have 
you come for?" Njambo replied, "I come to you for you 
to tell me about my son, whether in his hunting he kills beasts, 
or whether he does not." Njambi answered, "He snares 
them constantly; but, because of the name you gave him, 
he saves the lives of the people of the tribes of Beasts." 

The prophet added, "If there be a doubt, I will show you 
a way to prove my words. When you go back to town 
you will meet Iheli at the end of the village. When you 
meet with him, call for the people to set nets to catch him. 
But, yourself shall stand and watch what the Beast does 
before your eyes." 

Njambo arose to go, and bade goodbye, saying, "This is 
my return journey to my village. " 

And it was so that, on nearing the end of the village, he 
met with Gazelle. Njambo shouted, "Men! spread your 
nets ! Here is a Beast ! Let us catch it ! " His men brought 
their nets, and began to surround Gazelle. And the son 
Utigebode came to assist. The men were shouting, "Ha-ha! 
Ha-ha!" to frighten the animal towards the nets. Gazelle 
looked forward, watching Utigebode closely; and it said to 
itself, "If I go toward the nets, I shall be caught; but, I will 
go toward Utigebode and shall be saved." 



176 WHERE ANIMALS TALK 

So, Gazelle ran toward Utigebode, and he caught it as if 
to kill it. But Gazelle cried out, "Eh! Utigebode! you, the 
savior, will you be the one to kill me?" So, Utigebode 
said, "Pass on! for, it is true that I am The-One-Who- 
Saves." And Gazelle fled to the forest. 

Then Njambo was very angry, and said to Utigebode, 
"Ah! my child! I have found you in your falsehood! Was 
it not you who said you caught no Beast? So! you have 
been releasing them!" 

Then the company all went back to their village with their 
nets. They arrived there during the daytime. And the 
father ordered his son, "Go! climb that coco tree, and bring 
me a nut." The son began to climb the tree. But, as he 
climbed, the father, by Magic-Power, caused the tree to grow 
rapidly upward. When, finally, Utigebode reached the top, 
he was unable to come down the excessively long tree- trunk. 
He began to call to his father for help, "My father!" But 
the father was still very angry, and replied, "Call your 
friends, the Beasts and Birds, to save you. I will not help 
you." And Njambo went to sit down in his village, leaving 
his son in the treetop. 

The son saw Eagle passing, and he called to it, "Yungu! 
Help me!" Eagle replied, "I am not able to carry a Man; 
you are heavy;" so. Eagle passed on. Utigebode saw many 
Beasts one after another passing below, and he called to 
them, "Save me!" But, they said, "We have no wings 
with which to go up to you. How can we get you down? 
We are not Birds that could let you down. We Beasts are 
unable to help you. Do not expect us. " 

He was left there in the tree-top a period of two weeks, 
living only on the coconuts; and then he died, and his body 
fell to the earth. Njambo came out to see the corpse, and 
he said to it, "You have died through lack of obedience. 
You disobeyed me; and your beasts did not help you." 

The father and the mother lived another year in their 
village; and then they died, because they had no children 
to help them with food or clothes. And the people came 
from other villages to bury them. 



WHERE ANIMALS TALK 177 

TALE 24 

Origin of the Ivory Trade (1st Version) 

Persons 

King Ukanakadi, and His SonLombolokindi, and His Mother, 

With Birds and Other Animals 

Tombeseki (A Magic-Spear) ; An Old Woman 

Njaku (Elephant) ; An Ox {A Metamorphosed Man) 

A Foreign Vessel, and Traders 



Ukanakadi lived in his great house, having with him his 
many wives. One of them bore him a son whom he named 
Lombolokindi. 

As time passed on, the child grew in size, and strength, 
and skill. Because of this, his mother was treated by Ukana- 
kadi with special favor. This aroused the jealousy of one 
of the other wives. She took the child one day, and secretly 
gave him a certain evil medicine, which caused him to be 
constantly hungry, hungry, hungry. Even when he ate 
enormously, no amount of food could fill his stomach or 
satisfy his appetite. 

Ukanakadi finally was angry at the child, and said to the 
mother, *'A11 the food of my plantations is finished, eaten up 
by your child. We have no more plantains, no more cassava, 
no more eddoes, nor anything else in our plantations or in 
our kitchen-gardens. You have brought a curse upon us! 
Go away to your father's house!" (He said this, not know- 
ing that a Fetish-Medicine had caused all the trouble.) 

So the mother went away with her child to her father's 
house. But there too, the boy ate up all the food of the 
gardens, until there was none left. Then her father said to 
her, "All my food is done here; go with your child to your 
grandfather, and find food there." 

So, she went to her grandfather's. But there the same 
trouble followed. 

After she had been there some time, and the child was now 
a stout lad, and she saw that they were no longer welcome, 



178 WHERE ANIMALS TALK 

she said to herself, "Alas! it is so! All my people are weary 
of me! I will not longer stay at grandfather's. I will go 
wandering into the forest, and, with the child, will see what 
I can get." 

Taking with her only two ears of corn, she went far off 
with the lad into the forest. After much wandering, and 
eating only wild fruits, she selected a spot without having 
any idea of the locality, and built a shed for a camp in which 
to stay. At this place, she planted the corn. It quickly 
sprang up, and bore abundantly. And she planted other 
gardens. After a time came very many birds; and they 
began to eat up the corn. She exclaimed, "My son and I 
alone have come here, and have planted our corn. How is 
this that all the birds have come so soon to destroy it?" 
And the son, who by this time had grown to be almost a 
young man, said to her, "Mother, why do you allow the 
birds to eat? Why don't you do something?" She replied, 
"Why do the birds thus destroy the corn? What can I do?" 
So he came out of the shed into the yard in front of their 
house and shouted at the birds, "You birds! who have come 
here to spoil my corn, with this stick I will kill you all!" 
But the birds jeered at him, saying, "No! not all! Only 
one shall die!" 

The young man went into the house, took up a magic 
spear-head he owned, fitted it onto a stick as a shaft; and 
going out again, he hurled it at the birds. The spear flew 
at them, pursuing each one, and piercing every one of them 
in succession. Then it flew on and on, away out into the 
forest. 

The young man took up another medicine-charm that he 
had with him, and, calling to his spear by name, shouted 
after it, " Tombeseki-o-o ! Come back, back, back. Here! 
again, again, again. Return!" The spear heard him, and 
obeyed, and came back. He laid hold of it, and put it 
again in the shed. So, he and his mother lived there. She 
planted a very large garden of plantains, cassava, and many 
other vegetables, a very large quantity. And her gardens 
grew, and bore fruit in plenty. 

Then there came all kinds of small Animals, hogs, and 
antelopes, and gazelles, very many; and they spoiled the 
gardens, eating the fruit, and breaking down the stalks. 



WHERE ANIMALS TALK 179 

The mother exclaimed, "My son! the animals have finished 
all my food of the gardens; everything is lost ! Why is this? " 
He replied, "Yes, it is so! And when they come again 
tomorrow, I know what I will do to them!" 

When they came the next day, he went into the house, 
took the spear, flung it; and it flew from beast to beast, 
piercing all of them in succession. Then it went off, flying 
into the forest, as before. He called after it to return. 
The Spear heard, and obeyed, and came back to the house. 

Then he and his mother sat down in the house, complain- 
ing of their hunger, and how the animals had spoiled their 
gardens. So the mother went out, and gathered up w^hat 
little remained, brought it into the house, and cooked it, 
leaves and all. 

When the mother had planted a third garden, and it had 
grown, a herd of elephants came to destroy it. She cried 
out, "All! Njaku! what shall I do? You have come to 
destroy all my gardens! Shall I die with hunger?" The 
son brought out his Spear, and shouting at the elephants, 
threatened to kill them all. But the herd laughed and said, 
"When you throw that spear, only one of us shall fall. " He 
threw the spear at the one that spoke. It struck him and 
all the elephants in succession; and they all died. The 
Spear kept on in its flight into the forest. The young man 
cried after it, "Spear! Spear! come back, come back!" And 
it came to him again. 

Each time that the Spear had thus gone through the forest, 
it had mowed down the trees in its path; and thus was made 
the clearing which the mother had at once utilized for the 
planting of her successive gardens. 

After the elephants, mother and son sat down again in 
their hunger; they had nothing to eat but leaves. These 
she cooked; and they ate them all at once. 

Then she planted another garden, thinking that now there 
were no more beasts who would come to ravage. But she 
did not know that there was still left in the forest one very, 
very large Elephant that had not been in the company of the 
herd that the son had killed. 

There was also, in that forest, one very, very large Ox. 
When the gardens had grown, that Ox came, and began to 
destroy. The young man hurled his Spear at the Ox. It 



180 WHERE ANIMALS TALK 

was wounded, but did not fall; and it went away into the 
forest with the spear sticking in its side. The young man 
pursued the Ox, following, following, following far away. 
But he did not overtake it. 

On his way, he reached unexpectedly a small, lonely hut, 
where an Old Woman was living by herself. When she saw 
him, she said to him, "Do not follow any longer. That Ox 
was a person like yourself. He is dead; and his people have 
hung up that Spear in their house. " 

The young man told the old woman that he was very 
hungry. So she cut down for him an entire bunch of plan- 
tains. He was so exceedingly hungry that he could not 
wait; and before the plantains were entirely cooked, he 
began to eat of them, and ate them all. The old woman 
exclaimed, "What sort of a person is this who eats in this 
way?" In her wisdom, thinking over the matter, she felt 
sure it was some disease that caused his voracity. 

The man, being tired with his journey, fell asleep; and 
she, by her magic power, caused him to hear or feel nothing. 
While he was in this state, she cut him open. As she did so, 
his disease rushed out with a whizzing sound; and she cut 
away, and removed a tumor, that looked like a stone of glass. 
That was the thing that had caused his excessive hunger all 
his life. By her Power, she closed the wound. 

When he awoke, she cooked food for him, of which he ate, 
and was satisfied with an ordinary amount like any other 
person. She then told him what she had done, and said, 
"As you are now cured, you may pursue that Ox. You will 
reach his town, and you will obtain your Spear. But, as 
you go there, you must make a pretense. You must pretend 
that you are mourning for the dead. You must cry out in 
wailing, "Who killed my Uncle-o-o! who killed my Uncle-o- 
o!" Thus he went on his way; and finally came to a town 
where was a crowd of people gathered in and about a house 
of mourning. Beginning to wail, he went among the mourn- 
ers. They received him, with the idea that he was some 
distant relative who had come to attend the funeral. He 
walked up the street of this town of the Ox-Man, and enter- 
ing into the house of mourning, said, "Had not the way 
been so long, my mother also would have come; but, I have 
come to look at that Thing that killed my Uncle." They 



WHERE ANIMALS TALK 181 

welcomed him, commended his devotion, and said, "You 
will not go today. Stay with us. Sleep here tonight; and 
tomorrow you shall see and take away with you, to show to 
your mother, that Thing. " 

So, the next day, they gave him the Spear, and said, ** Go, 
but do not delay. Return for the closing ceremony (the 
"Washing") of the mourning." He went away, and came 
again to the Old Woman. She said to him, when he showed 
her the Spear, "I told you truly that you would obtain it. 
But, go with it and this bundle I have made of the tumor of 
your disease, and show them to your mother." 

So he came back to his mother. She rejoiced; and, not 
knowing that he was cured, she cooked a very large and 
unusually varied quantity of food, for his unusual hunger, 
two whole bunches of plantains, and eddoes, and potatoes, 
and yams, etc. Of this he ate only a little, sufficient for an 
ordinary hunger. As he had not yet told her of his being 
cured, she cried out in surprise, "What is this? My son 
will die, for not eating!" And she asked him, "What is 
the matter?" He replied, "No, I have eaten, and am satis- 
fied. And, mother, this bundle is what I was cured of." 
Then he told her of what that old woman had done. 

On another day, that great Elephant that had remained 
in the forest, came and began to eat in the garden. The 
son said, "Mother! what shall I do? I thought I had killed 
all the elephants. I did not know there was this great big 
one left!" (Nor did he just then know there were left a 
very great many more.) 

Taking his Spear, he hurled it, and wounded the elephant. 
It did not fall, but went away with the Spear in its side. 
The man followed, followed, followed, pursuing the elephant, 
not, as the other animals had gone, into the forest, but away 
toward the sea; and it died on the sea beach. There the 
man found it and his Spear. 

The Sea was new to him; he had not seen it since his child- 
hood. He climbed up on the elephant's body, in order to 
see all around. As he turned his eyes seaward, he saw a 
ship coming on the horizon. Also, the people on this ship 
were looking landward, and they said, "There is something 
standing on the shore like a person. Let the vessel go there, 
and see what is ashore." 



182 WHERE ANIMALS TALK 

So, the ship anchored, and a surf-boat was launched into 
the water to go ashore. When the crew landed, they saw 
the carcass of the elephant, and a person standing with a 
spear who warned them, "Do not approach near to me?" 
But they replied, "We do not want you, nor will we hurt 
you. But we want these tusks of ivory of this elephant. 
We want elephants." Wondering at this wish, he cut out 
the tusks, and gave them to the strangers, adding, "Off in 
the Forest are very, very many more tusks, more than I can 
number. You seem to like them; but they are of no use to 
me." They earnestly said, "But, bring them, bring them! 
We will buy them of you with abundance of goods." He 
agreed, and promised, "I am going now; but, let your ship 
wait, and I will bring all of those things as many as it is 
possible for me to carry." 

So, he went back to his mother; and he and she carried 
many, many tusks. They filled the ship full; and the crew 
of the ship sent ashore an immense quantity of goods. When 
the vessel went away, it left ashore two carpenters, with 
direction to build a fine house, and have it completed before 
the vessel should come again. 

The man remained there awhile with the carpenters, after 
the ship had gone. 

One day, looking, on a journey down the coast, at a point 
of land, he was surprised to recognize his father's town, 
where he and his mother had lived in his childhood. He 
said to himself, "That's my father's town! I want them to 
come to me, and live at my town!" He sent word to them; 
they removed, and all of them came to live with him. And 
he married one of their young women. (In the meanwhile, 
he had brought his mother from the forest.) 

While he was living at his new home, one day looking sea- 
ward, he saw the promised ship coming to get more ivory, 
and to give more goods. And he went off to the vessel. 

Among the women who were still living of his father's 
people who had known him as a child, was the one who had 
given him the evil "medicine" long ago; her object in giving 
it having been to kill him. After he had gone off to the 
vessel, this woman came to his wife's home, and, seeing the 
Spear hanging tied from the roof, said, "What is that Thing 
tied there i'" His wife replied, "It is a kind of "medicine" 



WHERE ANIMALS TALK 183 

of my husband's. It must not be touched. " But the woman 
said, "I know that Thing; and what it does." Then she 
seized it, and put into it its handle the man had removed. 
She hurled the Spear out to sea, and it went on and on, 
passing over the ship. The man sitting in the saloon, said 
to the crew, as he recognized the Spear in its flight, "I saw 
something pass over the ship!" He went up on deck, and 
called after it, "My Spear! come back! come! come! come 
back!" And he told all the people of the vessel to go below 
lest they should be injured. The Spear turned and came 
back to him; and he took possession of it. Then said he to 
the crew, "Come! escort me ashore!" They landed him 
ashore, and waited to see what he intended doing. 

He called all his father's family, and asked, "Why is it 
that you have tried to kill me today with this Spear! For 
this, I will this day kill all of you. " He summoned all the 
people to come together. When they had come, he had his 
mother bring out that tumor bundle, and said, "This is the 
thing of long ago with which that woman (pointing to the 
one who in childhood had given him the evil disease) tried 
to injure me. And, for the same reason, she threw the Spear 
today; thus trying a second time to kill me. None of you 
have rebuked her. So, I shall kill you all as her associates. " 

Though they were of his father's family, he attacked and 
killed them all. The whole town died that day, excepting 
himself, his wife, his mother, and his sister. These four, not 
liking to remain at that evil place, went off and took passage 
on the ship. 

So, he journeyed, and came to the country of the white 
people at Manga- Manene; and never returned to Africa. 
But, he kept up a trade in Ivory with his native country. 
But for him, that trade would not have been begun. For, 
besides his having brought the first elephant to the sea coast, 
he told the people of Manga-Manene beyond the Great Sea, 
about the tribes of people, and about the elephants that were 
so abundant, in Africa. And that is all. 



184 WHERE ANIMALS TALK 

TALE 24 

Origin of the Ivory Trade (2nd Version) 

Persons 

King Njambu, and His Four Wives 
Ngwe-Konde (Mother-of-Queens) 
Ngwe-Lege (Mother-of-Poverty) 
Ivenga (Watching); Ngwe-Sape (Mother of a Lock) 

Njambu's Son, Savulaka (Gluttony) 
The Spirit of an Uncle; Mekuku (Spirits of the Dead) 
A Magic Spear; A Great Elephant (A Metamorphosed Man) 
Birds, and Other Beasts 

Njambu built a town; and married four women. This one, 
Ngwe-Konde, that one Ngwe-Leege, another one Ivenga, 
another Ngwe-Sape. 

After Njambu had lived there a short time all his wives 
were about to become mothers. Then Ngwe-konde took a 
net, and (by Magic Art) threw it into the womb of Ngwe- 
lege. The net entered the belly of her child. 

At the time of their confinement, they all gave birth. 
The infants were washed. They were dressed also, and were 
given suck. Also, they were assigned their names. That 
of Ngwe-lege's was Savulaka. When he was given the breast, 
he was not satisfied, he was only crying and crying; for, 
whoever held him, there were only cries and cries. When 
his mother would nurse him, there was only crying. His 
father said, "If it is like this, then, lest he die, feed him the 
food of adults." 

His mother cut down a plantain bunch; she boiled it; it 
was cooked. The child ate, and finished the plantains; and 
yet it was crying and crying. They cut down another 
bunch; it was boiled, it was cooked. At only one eating, 
he finished the food, with cries in his mouth. Two more 
bunches were boiled; he ate. All at once, though born only 
that day, he spoke, "My mother! Hunger!" Four bunches 
were cut down; they were cooked; he ate, and finished them, 
but with crying. 



WHERE ANIMALS TALK 185 

Then he was cooked for ten times; he ate; and at once 
finished. The people cooked, and he ate. The plantains 
of his father's town were all cleared off, the entire town was 
left like a prairie. The father spoke to the mother, and 
said, "No! go away with him to your father's town. " 

Ngwe-lege picked up her child, carrying him away. She 
with the child went on, to the town of her father. 

Her father asked her, " My child ! wherefore the crying, and 
your carrying the infant?" She replied, "My father! I 
know not! This one whom you see, since he was born, is 
not filled. He has made an end to all the plantains of his 
father's town, leaving the town a prairie. And his father 
said to me, 'Just go and take him to your father's.' So, I 
have brought him." 

The towns-people all were laughing, "Kye! kye! kye!" 
They said, "What.^ Really, food? No! it's something 
else, not food. But, enter into the house." She says, "You 
are talking foolishly. " The child began to cry. They said, 
"Let us see!" 

Then, at once, they began to cook; the food is ready; he 
eats; and finishes it. Other food was placed; he ate it at 
once. Food was cooked again. At once, all of it, and the 
dishes, and the jars, and the plates, were swallowed up by 
him. Food is cooked again, and he ate; and then said, " My 
mother! Hunger!" Food is cooked again; he ate until he 
finished all the pots. All the food of the town, and all the 
gardens were done. 

Her father spoke to her saying, "My child! Just carry him 
to the town of your grandfather. " 

She then carried the child, still crying with hunger, and 
made her journey, and came to her grandfather's town. 

The people there said, "What is it; for the crying?" She 
told all the whole affair to them. They inquired, "Food?" 
She replied, "Yes." They cooked, and he ate, and finished. 
They cooked again; and he finished all, even to the leaves in 
which the food was wrapped. They said, "Such a kind of 
child has never been born before!" 

Suddenly, the child Savulaka ceased to be a child; and, as 
a man, said to his mother, "My mother! Wash me some 
mekima (rolls of mashed boiled plantains)." So, his mother 
made the mekima. 



186 WHERE ANIMALS TALK 

In the morning, very early, Savulaka starts on a journey. 
He went stepping very quickly, on, still with his journey; 
and, as he went, he talked to himself. He said, "This thing 
which has been done to me, now, what is it?" He still went 
on with the journey, until, at night, he lay down in the 
forest. Early in the morning, he starts again for his journey. 
As he was going in the forest he met with a Person (a brother 
of his mother, who belonged to a town of the Mekuku). 
This Person inquired, "Where are you going to?" (Savulaka 
was still eating the mekima, even its leaves going into his 
mouth.) This Person also said to him, "Stop at once!" 
Then he stood still. 

The Person said, "I, your Uncle, the brother of your 
mother, am the one who is inquiring of you." Savulaka 
answered him, saying, "I'm not able to tell you." But 
presently he did tell all the matter to him. So, the Uncle 
said to him, "Come, to my town." 

Then both of them returned on the path. In a moment, 
in the twinkling of an eye, they are at the town. The Uncle 
said, " My child, you are cured ! " He put for him a medicine 
in a syringe, and gave him an injection. When he withdrew 
the syringe, here, at once, a net began to come out quick as 
ever it could move from the bowels ! Then his Uncle spoke 
and told him, "It is thy father's wife who put the net into 
your bowels." 

Food was cooked for him; he began to eat a little as people 
usually eat. His Uncle said unto him, "You shall go to- 
morrow." 

On the morrow, early in the morning, his Uncle took all 
kinds and sorts of vegetables; and he took also a Spear; 
and malagetta pepper ("Guinea-grains," a species of car- 
domom), and handed them to him; and told him, " When you 
reach home, you must plant a garden. " 

The Uncle said to him, "Close your eyes!" He closed his 
eyes tight. On opening his eyes, he at once found himself 
near his home, and his mother on the path, her form bent 
stooping down seeking for him. He then entered their 
house, and sat down, and his mother greeted him to her 
satisfaction. 

The mother took food, and boiled it; it was cooked; she 
removed it from the fire; she sat the food before Savulaka. 



WHERE ANIMALS TALK 187 

And he ate only two fingers of plantains. His mother began 
to wonder. 

Then he said to himself, "Now, let me try to do as my 
Uncle has told me." He said, "Ngalo! (a fetish charm) I 
want this forest here to be cleared, all of it. " (As quickly as 
I speak here, at once the garden was finished, like the passing 
of yesterday.) He said to his mother, "Take a list of all 
the plants I have brought; then let us go and plant them." 
So, he and his mother went to plant; that very day the 
garden was completely finished. 

Previously to that, his Uncle had warned him, "When 
the plants are sprung up, you will see Kenene (a kind of 
small bird) coming to eat them. When they shall arrive, 
they will be many. Then you take the Spear; fail not to 
use the cardomoms with it." 

The food increased; and the small birds came in countless 
numbers. Savulaka took up the Spear, and threw it at them; 
and all, even to the young birds, perished. Then he returned 
to his mother, and said, "My mother! go and pick up the 
sele" (another name of kenene). She gathered them; 
leaving many remaining abandoned in the forest. The 
village was filled with the sele. 

The same thing happened with all other kinds of birds. 
The same with every Beast. 

Then Elephants came to the garden. The man picked up 
the Spear and the cardomoms. WTien he came to the garden, 
he lifted up the Spear, and threw it, and wounded the Ele- 
phants. Numbers of Elephants that were eating in the 
garden, were killed. They were gathered, and the whole 
village was filled with the smell of the rotting meat; so that 
hardly any one would come to the village. I am not able 
to tell you the abundance of tusks; the mendanda 
(long ones), and the makubu (short thick ones), and the 
begege (" scrivillers, " the small ones), that cannot be 
counted. 

The next morning, other elephants came again. The man 
took up the Spear, but he forgot the cardomom-pepper. 
When he arrived where they were, he did not wait, but 
hastily threw the Spear after an elephant, the leader of the 
herd, who turned aside, and ran away with the Spear in its 
body. The man followed him, but he did not reach him. 



188 WHERE ANIMALS TALK 

Then he reurned to his mother; and said to her, " My mother ! 
mash me some mekima. " (Food for a journey.) 

In the next morning, the man started on the journey, 
stepping quickly as ever, until he came to his Uncle's town. 
He was about to pass his Uncle by, not seeing him (a Spirit). 
The Uncle said to him, "Stand there!" So he stood. The 
Uncle directed, "Enter the house!" He entered, and sat 
down; and his Uncle said to him, "Did I not tell you that 
when you are going to kill an animal, you must not omit 
the pepper-grains? Sit down there; wait. Don't you go 
out. I must go and take for you your Spear. " 

But, lo ! it was the Chief of that very town, whom he had 
wounded, and who had come back to the town, and died. 
(That chief had metamorphosed himself into the form of an 
elephant.) The uncle passed out, and went to the other end 
of the town; and there he found the Spear. He took it, and 
gave it to Savulaka, and said, "Go!" Savulaka went; and 
met his mother on the way, waiting for him. Then they 
went home to their village. 

Next morning, he fastened the Spear handle. Elephants 
in the plantation shouted, "We have come!" The man 
stood up, and snatched his Spear. The Elephants stood 
waiting. The man said, "Here it is!" and flung it at them. 
And the carcasses of all fell in a heap. He said to the people 
of the village, "Go ye!" They went, and found dead bodies 
without number; the tusks the same, without number. 

After that, White-Man came with a quantity of goods. 
The Town of Savulaka was crowded with goods in abundance; 
every kind of foreign article. White men came to see Ivory. 
The sailing-vessels and steamers came any day (not only on 
scheduled dates). Thus it was that Ivory was exported, 
and goods imported. Business of Trading was made. 
Savulaka had a great many traders. All his father's brothers, 
and mother's brothers, all their dwelling was in the town of 
Savulaka. Rum was drunk constantly, and they were 
constantly intoxicated. Ivory went to White Man's Land. 
White men's things came, and were sent up to the Interior. 

This Trade is going on to the present days. It was a man 
who commenced with the thought of Trading; it was com- 
menced by that one man. All the African tribes are now 
changed from what they were originally. 



WHERE ANIMALS TALK 189 

At first we negroes had no (proper) knowledge. They 
spoke with wonder over the things that are made in Europe 
by white men. They said, "These are made by the Spirits 
of the dead; they are not made by the hving. " Because 
our people believed that the departed spirits have their 
home beyond the Sea. Why? Because Savulaka brought 
his wonderful Spear (by which so much ivory was obtained) 
from the Spirit-Town. 



TALE 25 

Dog and His False Friend Leopard 

Persons 
Mbwa (Dog) Ngiya (Gorilla) 

Nja (Leopard) 

NOTE 

The origin of the hatred between dogs and leopards. 
Friends should not have arguments. An argument separates 
a company. 



Dog and Leopard built a town. Dog then begot very 
many children. Leopard begot his many also. They had 
one table together. They conversed, they hunted, they ate, 
they drank. 

One day, they were arguing: Leopard said, '*If I hide 
myself, you are not able to see me." Dog replied, "There 
is no place in which you can hide where I cannot see you. " 

The next day, at the break of the day. Leopard emerged 
from his house at Batanga, and he went north as far as from 
there to Bahabane near Plantation. Dog, in the next morn- 
ing, emerged. He asked, "Where is chum Nja?" The 
women and children answered, "We do not know." Dog 
also started, and went: and as he went, smelling, until he 



190 WHERE ANIMALS TALK 

arrived at Plantation (about 15 miles). He came and stood 
under the tree up which Leopard was hidden; and he said, 
"Is not this you?" 

Both of them returned, and came to their town. Food 
had been prepared; and they ate. Leopard said, "Chum! 
you will not see me here tomorrow." When the next day 
began to break, Leopard started southward, as far as to 
Lolabe (about 15 miles). Next day, in the morning, Dog 
stood out in the street, lifted up his nose, and smelled. He 
also went down southward, clear on till he came to Lolabe; 
and standing at the foot of a tree, he said, " Is not this you? " 

Leopard came down from the top of the tree; they stood; 
and then they returned to their town. Food was cooked for 
them; they ate, and finished. 

Leopard said, "Chum! you will not see me tomorrow again, 
no matter what may take place." Dog asked, "True?" 
Leopard replied, "Yes!" 

In the morning. Leopard started southward, for a distance 
like from Batanga to Campo River (about 40 miles). 

At the opening of the next day, Dog emerged, and, stand- 
ing and smelling, he said, looking toward the south, "He 
went this way." Dog also went to Campo. He reached 
Leopard, and said, "Is not this you?" 

They came back to their town; they were made food; and 
they ate. 

The next day. Leopard emerged early. He went north- 
ward, as far as from Batanga to Lokonje (about 40 miles). 
Dog sniffed the air, and followed north also. In a steady 
race, he was soon there; and he reached Leopard. So, 
Leopard said, "It is useless, I will not attempt to hide my- 
self again from Mbwa. " 

Thereupon, Dog spoke to Leopard and said, " It is I, whom, 
if I hide myself from you, you will not see." Leopard 
replied, "What! even if you were able to find me, how much 
more should I be able to find you!" So, Dog said to him, 
"Wait, till daybreak. " 

When the next day broke. Dog passed from his house like 
a flash unseen, vyu! to Leopard's. And, underneath the 
bed of Leopard in his public Reception-house, he lay down. 
Then Leopard (who had not seen him) came to the house of 
Dog; he asked the women, "Where is Mbwa?" They said, 



WHERE ANIMALS TALK 191 

"Thy friend, long ago, has gone out hence, very early." 
Leopard returned to his house, and he said to his children, 
"That fellow! if I catch him! I do not know what I shall do 
to him!" 

He started southward on the journey, as far as Lolabe; 
and did not see Dog. So he returned northward a few miles, 
as far as Boje, and did not see him. Down again south to 
Campo; and he did not see him. That first day, he did not 
find him at all. Then he returned toward Batanga, and went 
eastward to Nkamakak (about 60 miles) ; and he did not see 
him. He went on northward to Ebaluwa (about 60 miles) ; 
did not see him. Up north-west to Lokonje; he did not see 
him. And Leopard, wearied, went back to his town. 

Coming to the bed (not knowing Dog was there) he lay 
down very tired. He said to his people, "If I had met him 
today, then you would be eating a good meat now." All 
these words were said in the ears of Dog, the while that Dog 
was underneath the bed. 

Then Dog leaped out, pwa! Leopard asked, "Where 
have you been? Dog answered, "I saw you when you first 
passed out. " Leopard said, " True? " And Dog says, "Yes ! " 

Then Dog went out far to his end of the town. And, 
knowing that Leopard intended evil toward him, he said to 
his children, "Let us go and dig a pit." So they went and 
dug a pit in the middle of the road. 

Then Dog told his wives and children, "Go ye before, at 
once!" He also said, "I and this little Mbwa, which can 
run so fast, we shall remain behind." Then the others 
went on in advance. 

(Before that, Leopard, observing some movements of the 
Mbwa family, had been speaking to himself, "I do not know 
the place where Mbwa and his children will go today. ") 

Dog warned this young one, "When you are pursued, 
you must jump clear across that pit. " 

Then Dog, to cover the retreat of his family, came alone 
to Leopard's end of the town. He and his children chased 
after him. Dog ran away rapidly, and escaped. 

When Leopard's company arrived at the house of Dog, 
they found there only that little dog. So they said, "Come 
ye! for there is no other choice than that we catch and eat 
this little thing." 



192 WHERE ANIMALS TALK 

Thereupon, Leopard chased after the little dog; but it 
leaped away rapidly, and Leopard after him. When the 
little Dog was near the pit, it made a jump. (Leopard did 
not know of the pit, nor why the Dog jupiped.) When 
Leopard was come to the pit, he fell inside, tumbling, volom ! 

His enemy Gorilla was following after Leopard, also in 
pursuit of Dog. He also fell into the pit, headlong, volom! 
Finding Leopard there. Gorilla said, '*What is this.?" Leo- 
pard stood at one side, and Gorilla at the other. When the 
one would be about to go near the other, if the other attempted 
to go near him, he would begin to growl, saying, '* You must 
not approach here!" 

Dog, standing at the edge above, was laughing at them, 
saying, " Fight ye your own fight ! Did you want only nae? " 

But Leopard and Gorilla were not fighting in the pit. If 
the one approached, the other retreated. 

Dog spoke to them and said in derision. '*I have no 
strength; but as to your fight, was it seeking only me?" 



TALE 26 

A Trick for Vengeance 

Persons 

Kudu (Tortoise) Ko (Wild-Rat) 

Nja (Leopard) 

NOTE 

Because of deaths and sicknesses, African natives are 
constantly changing the location of their villages, believing 
the old sites infested by malevolent Spirits. 



The whole mass of Beasts were living in one place. They 
built houses; they cleared the forest for plantations. 



WHERE ANIMALS TALK 193 

After this, Tortoise said, " I 'm going to find my own place. " 
So, he went and built in a place which he called Malende- 
ma-Kudu. The fame of it was spread abroad, people talk- 
ing about "Malende-ma-Kudu." Leopard arose, came to 
the town of Tortoise, and said, "I have come to build here. " 
Tortoise consented, "You may build." Leopard said, "I'm 
going to build at the end of the path, and by the spring." 
And he built there. 

One day, a child of Tortoise was passing by near the 
spring; and Leopard seized him, ku! 

Another day, another one was passing; Leopard seized 
him, also, ku! 

Then Tortoise said, "This is an evil place, I'm going to 
move from here. " So he went and built another town called 
Jamba. Leopard came also, saying, "Kudu! I'm coming to 
build!" Then Tortoise said, "Really! what have your 
affairs to do with me? Nevertheless, come and build." 
And Leopard built at the end, by the spring. 

When the children of Tortoise were passing by the spring. 
Leopard constantly killed them. 

Tortoise wondered, "This thing which is destroying my 
children, what is it?" 

Thus day by day. Leopard was killing the children of 
Tortoise. 

Tortoise prepared again to remove, saying that he would 
go away and build another town to be called Dang. He 
went there. And the fame of it was spread around, people 
saying, "Dang, the town of Kudu!" Everybody was say- 
ing, "We are going to the town of Kudu; Dang, the town of 
Kudu!" 

Leopard comes again, and says, "I also have come to 
build here." Tortoise said to him, "Wait! really; why did 
you leave the other people?" However, Tortoise said to 
him, "Build." And Leopard built as usual. Also, when 
the children of Tortoise were passing to the spring, they 
were missing. And Tortoise felt sure that Leopard had 
seized them. 

Thereupon Tortoise made a plan for himself. He called 
Wild-Rat privately, saying, "I have heard that you know 
how to dig holes." Wild-Rat replied, "It is my work. " 
Tortoise said, "But, I want you to dig me a tunnel from this 



194 WHERE ANIMALS TALK 

room here, out to, and up towards the street, by measure. '* 
So, Wild-Rat dug a big hole, in size sufficient for Tortoise 
stnd his traveling-bag and his spears. 

Then Tortoise went and gathered together his spears and 
his traveling-bag. He went out the next day, early in the 
morning, and stood and announced in the street, '*A11 the 
Tribes must come! I want to tell them the news of what I 
have seen." 

Then all the Beasts came to meet in the town of Tortoise. 
It was full of every kind of beast. Tortoise spoke, and said, 
"I have called you to say, that really we are not worth 
anj^thing at all. Actually, the only dwelling we have is in the 
grave. All those my children who have died here, is it 
possible that it is my Father (of Spirits) who takes them? 
I met them sitting down in the Reception-House of that 
father, playing. " The people said to him, "This is a Dream. '* 
He replied, "No! it is open to sight." Some said, "It is a 
lie." But Tortoise said, "You have doubted me? Well, 
tomorrow you must dig me a grave; and you shall see how 
I am going." They said, "Yes! let us see!" 

On the next day, in the morning, they were called to- 
gether. He said, "Dig me a pit here." (He pointed to the 
privately measured spot over the tunnel which Wild-Rat had 
already made for him.) They dug it wide and deeply. 
Then, this Tortoise took his spears and his bag; and with 
these under his arm, he descended into the pit, and bade 
the people fill in the earth. He went to one side, until 
he reached and entered that tunnel of his which Wild-Rat 
had dug for him. And unseen he passed up to his room 
in his house, and lay down. Before that, he had prom- 
ised the people, saying, "I shall lie there (in the pit) for six 
days." 

Before Tortoise had disappeared, the people (following 
his orders) began to throw back the earth into the pit, filling 
it solidly. 

After Tortoise had laid in his house for six days, he suddenly 
appeared in the street; and he called all the mass of the 
Beasts, and he told them the news. He said, "Over there 
is so beautiful! I will not stay in this town any more for 
as long as ten days. But, as I am here, I shall lie here only 
for three days, and two days over there. " At once Tortoise 



WHERE ANIMALS TALK 195 

was regarded as a person of great importance, and his fame 
was spread abroad. 

Thereupon, Leopard, (feehng jealous of the wonderful 
experience of Tortoise) said to his children, "Even Kudu! 
How much rather that I should get to that beautiful place! 
Dig me mine own pit. I also am going to see my forefathers. 
I and they, we have not seen each other for a long time." 
So, they dug a big pit. He announced, "I will lie there for 
seven days; on the eighth, then I shall come." 

Then he descended into the pit. And they rapidly filled 
it up with earth. Leopard, below, sought a cavity by which 
to pass on (as he thought) to the Land of Spirits; but, there 
was none. And he died. 

His children waited eight days; but they saw not their 
father. Then they asked Tortoise, "As to our father, up to 
this day, what has happened to him?" Tortoise answered 
them, "Why are you asking me this? When I went, what 
did my family ask of you? Maybe, your father remained 
to follow the pleasures of over there!" 

The women of Leopard had kept him some food, making 
it ready for him for the eighth day. But (giving up hope of 
him) they ate it. While they were still waiting, actually 
Leopard had begun to rot there (in the pit) . 

Tortoise, fearing possible difiiculty, gathered together his 
wives and remaining children, and fled with them into the 
forest afar off. 



TALE 27 
Not My Fault! 

Persons 



Yongolokodi (Chameleon) Ko (Wild Rat) 

Men, Hunters 

Chameleon and all the other Beasts built their villages 
near together, making a large town. And there was a time 
of great hunger. After that, there came a harvest time of 



196 WHERE ANIMALS TALK 

large fruitage. The great produce could not be gathered for 
abundance. 

Then came Chameleon to the village of Wild-Rat, and he 
said to him, "Chum, Ko! this harvest is a great thing!" 
Rat said, "Don't speak about it!" 

Not long afterward. Mankind laid their snares, and the 
hunters prepared their bows. For, beasts and birds had come 
in crowds to eat of the abundance; and Man had overhead 
them speaking of it. Gunners came; the shots resounded; 
bows were twanged; the snares caught. 

Rat fell into one of the traps. Chameleon seeing him, 
and desiring to justify himself, reminded Rat that Rat himself 
had told him not to let others know of the great abundance, 
and that he himself had obeyed; that therefore he was not 
the cause of Rat's misfortune. So, Chameleon said, "J did 
not speak of it. " 



TALE 28 
Do Not Impose on the Weak 
Persons 
Yongolokodi (Chameleon) Nja (Leopard) 

note 

Chameleons move very slowly. This story is given as a 
reason why, even if one is small in body, he should not be 
despised, as though he had no strength, or as though he 
could with impunity be deprived of his rights, e. gr., in a race 
or in wrestling, or in any other circumstances. 



Leopard and Chameleon lived apart. This one had his 
village, and that one his. This one did his own business; 



WHERE ANIMALS TALK 197 

that one his. And they were resting quietly in their 
abodes. 

Chameleon had a herd of sheep and of goats. 

Leopard came to the village of Chameleon on an excursion; 
and he saw the herd of sheep and of goats. He said to 
Chameleon, "Chum! give me a loan of sheep to raise on 
shares." Chameleon made food for him; and, when they 
had eaten, he said to Leopard, "You can send children to- 
morrow, to come and take the loan of sheep on shares." 
They had their conversation, talking, and talking. When 
they had ended. Leopard said, " My Fellow ! I 'm going back. " 
His friend said to him, "Very good." 

Leopard went on to his village. He said, "My wife! I 
came on an excursion, to the town of Yongolokodi. He 
treated me with hospitality to the very greatest degree. 
Also he has given me sheep on shares. " 

The next day, in the morning, he sent his children to the 
town of Chameleon to take the herd of sheep. They went; 
and they brought them; and goats also. (A "day" in an 
Ekano Tale is without limit as to length or shortness.) 

The goats and sheep increased, until the village of Leopard 
was positively full of them crowded in abundance. 

About three years passed, and Chameleon said to himself, 
"Our herd with Chum must be about sufficient for division. " 
Thereupon he started on his journey crawling, naka, naka, 
naka, until he came to the house of his friend Leopard. 
Leopard said to his wife, "Make food!" It was cooked, 
they ate, and rested. 

Chameleon said to Leopard, "Chum! I have come, that 
we should divide the shares of the herd. " Leopard replied, 
"Good! but, first go back today. Who can catch goats and 
sheep on a hot day like this? Come tomorrow morning." 
Chameleon said, "Very good." And he went back to his 
village. 

The next day, in the morning, he rose to go to the village 
of Leopard. (Actually, after midnight, Leopard had already 
opened the pens, and all the animals were scattered outside.) 
He protested regret to Chameleon, and said, " Chum ! go back ! 
I don't know how those fellows have opened their pens. I 
was expecting you, for this day; I had let my herdman know 
that a person was coming on the morrow. So, go back. 



198 WHERE ANIMALS TALK 

And, as I am going tomorrow to the swamp for bamboo, you 
must come only on the second day." Chameleon submis- 
sively replied, "Very good. " 

Chameleon continued coming; and his treatment was 
just so every time, with excuses. 

Leopard, hoping, said to himself, "Perhaps he will die on 
the way, " because he saw him walking so slowly, naka, naka. 
And Chameleon kept on patiently going back and forth, 
back and forth. 

One night. Leopard and his wife were lying down; where- 
upon his wife asked him, "What is the reason that you and 
Yongolokodi have not divided the shares of the herd? Do 
you think he will die of this weakness?" Leopard answered, 
"No! it is not weakness, Njambe is the one who created him 
so; it is his own way of walking." 

Finally, Chameleon said to himself, "I must see what Nja 
intends to do to me; whether he thinks that he shall eat my 
share. " He went by night and waited outside of Leopard's. 
Next day, in the morning, as Leopard rose to go out, he 
found, unexpectedly, as he emerged from the house, Cham- 
eleon sitting on the threshold. There was no other deception 
that Leopard could seek; for, the animals were still in their 
pens. So, he called his children, and said, "Tie the goats 
and sheep with cords. " So they tied them all. And he and 
Chameleon divided them. Then this one returned to his 
place; and that one to his. 



TALE 29 

Borrowed Clothes 

Persons 
Koho (Parrot) Kuba (Chicken) 

note 

A story of the cause of the enmity between chickens and 
parrots. When a chicken comes near to a parrot, the latter 



WHERE ANIMALS TALK 199 

turns to one side, saying, "wa!"; for fear that the chicken 
will take his fine feathers from him. 



Parrot and Chicken were fowls living in a village of 
Mankind near a town; which they had built together. They 
were living there in great friendship. 

Then Parrot said to Chicken, "Chum! I'm going to make 
an engagement for marriage. " So, he prepared his journey. 
And he asked Chicken, " Chum! give me now thy fine dress ! " 
(For the occasion.) Chicken, said, "Very good!" and he 
handed his tail feathers to him. Thereupon, Parrot went on 
his marriage journey. 

When he came home again, he said to himself, "These 
feathers become me. I will not return them to Kuba. " 

So, when Chicken said to him, "Return me my clothes," 
he replied, "I will not return them!" Chicken, seeing that 
Parrot was retaining the feathers, said sarcastically, "Accept 
your clothing ! " Thereupon, Parrot, pretending to be wrong- 
ed, said, "Fellow! why do you put me to shame? I did not 
say that I would take your clothing altogether, only that we 
should exchange clothes." 

At night, then, Parrot took all his family, and they 
flew up in the air away. At once, he decided to stay there, 
and did not come to live on the ground again. Chicken 
was left remaining with Mankind in the town. 

Whenever Chicken began to call to Parrot up in the tree- 
tops, asking for his clothes, Parrot only screamed back "wa! 
w^!" That was a mode of speech by which to mock at 
Chicken. 



200 WHERE ANIMALS TALK 

TALE 30 

The Story of a Panic 

Persons 

Edubu (Adder) Njaku (Elephant) 

Ikiugi (Fly) Ngubu (Hippopotamus) 

Ko (Wild-Rat) ^ Nyati (Ox) 

Ngomba (Porcupine) Bejaka (Fishes) 

Ngando (Crocodile) 

NOTE 

Native Africans after bathing, rub more or less of some 
oil, either native palm, or foreign pomade, on their bodies. 

In the Dry Seasons, when the rivers are low, fish are 
caught by building dams across the streams, and then bailing 
out the water from the enclosed spaces. Observe flies, as 
carriers of disease. 



Adder went to bathe. He returned, and anointed himself 
with nyimba oil (oil of bamboo-palm nuts), and then climbed 
out on to a branch of a cayenne-pepper bush. 

Fly came and settled upon Adder's back. Adder, being 
annoyed, drove Fly away. Then Fly said to Adder, in 
anger, "Know you not that it is I who cause even Njaku, 
with his big tusks, to rot? And that I can cause Nyati and 
Ngubu to rot? And I can cause Mankind to rot! Then 
how much more you, this Thing who has only ribs and ribs!" 

When Adder heard this, he was alarmed, and he entered 
into the hole of Wild-Rat. Wild-Rat asked him, "Chum 
Adder ! where do you come from in such haste? " He answer- 
ed, "I have seen a Being which does not hesitate to cause 
Beasts and even Mankind to rot. Therefore, I am fled, by 
reason of fear of Ikingi." 

Whereupon Wild-Rat, frightened, arose, and entered 
hastily into the town of Porcupine. Porcupine, alarmed, 



WHERE ANIMALS TALK 201 

asked Wild-Rat, "What is it?" He answered, "I'm afraid 
of Ikingi; Edubu says that it is he who causes both Mankind 
and Beasts to rot. " 

Then Porcupine, in fear went out, running, going to the 
town of Hog. Whereupon Hog, being startled, asked him, 
"Chum! what is it?" He answered him, "I'm afraid of 
Ikingi. Ngomba says that he is the one who causes both 
Beasts and Mankind to rot." 

Hog at once ran out in terror, and went to a river with all 
his family. And the water of the river was promptly crowded 
out, leaving its channel dry. 

Then the Fishes (mistaking this motion of the water) 
arose in haste, saying, "The people who bail the river have 
come ! " And they fled. 

Then Crocodile opened his mouth wide; and the fishes in 
their flight began to enter into his stomach. Among them 
was ingongo-Kenda (a young kenda; a fish with spines like a 
catfish). When Crocodile was about to swaUow, the spines 
caught fast in his throat. And Crocodile died at once. 

Then the Fishes sang a song of rejoicing. 
"Ngando, with stealing, 
Ngando died by a sting in his throat." 

Such was the death that Crocodile died, on account of his 
attempt to swallow Fishes, who had rushed into his open 
mouth, as they fled, alarmed by the confusion raised by the 
panic of the other animals. 



TALE 31 

A Family Quarrel 

Persons 
Iheli (Gazelle) Nja (Leopard) 

NOTE 

Among native Africans, in the case of a man and his wife, 
even if they fight together, her father or her brother usually 



202 WHERE ANIMALS TALK 

do not interfere. For, every man who is married knows 
that his own wife will some day offend himself. 



Gazelle and Leopard built a town; living this one at his 
end of it; that one at the other end. After they had built; 
they cleared the forest for plantations; they married wives; 
and they sat down, resting in their seats. 

Gazelle had married the sister of Leopard who was of a 
proud disposition. And Leopard had publicly threatened, 
"The person who makes trouble for my sister, I will show 
him a thing." 

One day, the sister of Leopard began to give Gazelle some 
impertinence. Gazelle said to her, "Shut your mouth!" 
She replied, "I won't shut it!" Gazelle threatened, "Lest 
I beat you!" She dared him, "Come and beat me! You 
will see my brother coming to chew you!" Gazelle ran 
after her, struck her, ndo! and knocked her to the ground, 
ndi! As she lay there, he kept on beating her, and beating 
her, and shouting, "Who has married! Who has not mar- 
ried?" 

Leopard bristled up his whole mane, full of anger, and was 
about to go to Gazelle's end of the town to fight. But the 
older people said to him, "You hear what Iheli says, 'Who 
has not married'?" 

Leopard was at once disheartened. He saw there was no 
place for his bravery in a matter of marriage. 



TALE 32 
The Giant Goat 



Persons 

Kudu (Tortoise) Ngweya (Hog) 

Nja (Leopard) Betoli (Rats) 

A Giant Goat (Mbodi) Ngwai (Partridge) 



NOTE 



Tortoise and Leopard had lived in peace in the same town, 
until their mutual use and abuse of the great Goat, the 



WHERE ANIMALS TALK 203 

gift of Njambe, the Creator. A leopard is not satisfied 
unless he first takes the heart of the animal he has killed. 



Tortoise and Leopard built a town together. There they 
stayed. After they had built, they cleared plantations. 
Their food was only vegetables; for, they had no meat. 
Their hunger for meat became great. Their hunters killed 
nothing. 

One day. Tortoise, as he went in search of food, going and 
penetrating in the forest, came upon the Goat of Njambe 
(a mythical, enormous animal) in the forest by itself, and 
tied. It told Tortoise who and what it was, and invited 
him to enter. He said to It, "Mbodi, Friend-of -Njambe! 
open for me your house!' The Goat opened an aperture 
of its body; Tortoise entered in; and It closed the aperture. 
Inside of the Goat, Tortoise cut pieces of fine fat, and tied 
them into two bundles. Then he said, "Mbodi, friend of 
Njambe! open for me the house!" It opened the aperture; 
Tortoise at once went out; and It shut it. 

Tortoise returned to his town, and cut up the meat. He 
said to his women, "Make ready leaves for momba!" (bund- 
les of green plantain leaves in which meats are cooked over 
hot coals). They at once plucked the leaves, tied up the 
momba, and put them over the fireplace. They set soup also 
on the fireplace. When it was boiled, they spread the table, 
sat down together, and ate. 

The children of Leopard, smelling a tempting odor, came 
to Tortoise's end of the town. The children of Tortoise 
showed their food to them, saying, exultingly, "Ye! do you 
eat such as that?" A child of Leopard said, "Chum! let 
me taste it!" And he allowed him to taste it. 

The children of Leopard went off hurriedly to their father, 
saying, "Father! such an animal as your friend has killed! 
Perhaps it is Ngweya; we do not know." 

Then Leopard went to where Tortoise was, and he asked 
him, "Chum! as to this meat-hunger, what shall we do? 
Let us arrange for the town." Tortoise responded. "Yes, 
I am willing." So, in the evening, he invited his friend 
Leopard that he should come and eat food. Leopard came; 



204 WHERE ANIMALS TALK 

they sat down together; and they ate. When Leopard had 
tasted, he exclaimed, "Man! what animal is this?" But 
Tortoise would not tell him. When they had finished eat- 
ing, Leopard said to himself, "I must know where Tortoise 
goes!" 

On the next day, before the Ngwai (a Bird, that announces 
the first coming of daylight) had sounded. Tortoise went 
out clear on to where was that giant Goat. He spoke, as on 
his previous journey, "O! Mbodi! Friend of the Creator! 
open for me the house!" It at once opened the aperture; 
he entered in; and began to slice pieces of meat from the 
Goat's inside. When he had finished, he said, "Open for me 
the house!" It opened the aperture; and he emerged and 
went back to his town. There he spoke to his women, saying, 
"Cook ye!" They boiled the meat; it was cooked; he in- 
vited Leopard; they ate; and finished. And Leopard went 
back to his house. 

But, when night came, Leopard took ashes, and, going 
to the house of Tortoise, thrust the ashes into Tortoise's 
travelling-bag, and stabbed holes in it. Said he to himself, 
"When Tortoise carries it, then the ashes will fall down." 
This he did, so that he might follow to the place where Tor- 
toise would go. 

Next day. Tortoise was up at the same time with the first 
Ngwai. And at daybreak. Leopard followed, observing the 
ground closely with his eyes; and he saw the ashes. The 
fellow, at once, went on his journey, striding quickly, quick- 
ly, until he reached to where the great Goat was standing. 
It explained to him, as it had to Tortoise, its use, and invited 
him to enter. Said he, "O! Mbodi of my father Njambe! 
open to me the house!" And It opened the hole. He 
entered; and he discovered Tortoise cutting meat. Tortoise 
was displeased, and said to him, "Chum! is that the way 
you do.f^" They cut pieces of meat, they got ready, and 
they went back to town. 

The next day, although Tortoise was vexed at Leopard, 
they started together on their journey; and they arrived at 
the Goat. They said as before, "O! Mbodi! Friend! open 
to us the house!" It opened the aperture; and they entered. 
Tortoise warned Leopard, "Chum! Nja! don't touch the 
heart!" They cut meat. Then Leopard said that he was 



WHERE ANIMALS TALK 205 

going to lay hold of the heart. But Tortoise said, "No!" 
Leopard cut and cut, and was going on to the heart. Tor- 
toise again said to him, "Not so!" They went on cutting. 
Finally Leopard laid hold of the heart! The Goat at once 
made a great outcry, "Ma-a! Mba-a!" and died in- 
stantly. 

The people of the town that was near by, heard, and they 
said, "The Mbodi! what has happened to it.? Young men! 
go ye! Hasten ye! for, that Mbodi is crying!" They went, 
and discovered the body of the Goat stretched out. They 
went back to the town and told the people that, "The Mbodi 
is dead!" 

While this was going on, as soon as Tortoise inside the 
body knew that the Goat was dying, he began to seek for a 
hiding-place. He said, "I am for the stomach!" Leopard 
said, "No! that is the hiding-place of the elder one" (himself). 
Then Tortoise said, "I will go and hide in the bowels." 
Leopard said, "That also is the hiding place of the elder." 
Then Tortoise said, "Well! I'm going to hide in the fountain 
of the water of the belly" (the urinary bladder) . Leopard 
said, "Yes! that is the share of the younger." Tortoise 
thrust himself in there. Leopard jumped into the stomach. 

When the people came, they discovered the Goat lying 
flat, and they said, "Tie ye it!" (to carry it away). Others 
said, " No ! let it be butchered here. " They all said, " Yes ! " 
And they cut it in pieces. They took out the entire stomach, 
and laid it aside. They took that fountain, and flung it out 
in the bushes. 

Concealed by the bushes. Tortoise crawled out of the sac, 
and, pretending to be displeased, called out, "Who dashed 
that dirty water in my face, as I was coming here, seeking 
for my fungi here in the forest.?" They apologized, saying. 
"Chum! we did not know you were in those bushes. But, 
come, and join us." So, he went there; and he, in pretence, 
exclaimed, "What thing can so suddenly have killed Friend- 
Creator his Mbodi there? Alas! But, Ime! what a large 
stomach that is! Would you say that it was not it that 
killed Mbodi.? Let us send some children to pierce that 
stomach. But ye! when ye shall go to pierce it, first bring 
spears, then jab the spears through it. I have not seen such 
a stomach as that!" 



206 WHERE ANIMALS TALK 

They finished the cutting in pieces ; and they gave Tortoise 
his share of the animal. He left, bidding them await his 
return. He went hastily with the meat to his town, and sat 
down to rest for only a little while. Then he rapidly went 
back again to see what would happen to Leopard. 

The family of Njambe had taken that stomach and laid 
it in the water of a stream. Then they took spears, and they 
stabbed it. Leopard, being wounded, struggled up and 
down as he tried to emerge from inside the stomach. The 
people, when they saw this, shouted, "Aw! la! la! la!" And 
there was Leopard lying dead! For, in stabbing that stom- 
ach, the spears had reached Leopard. 

Tortoise said to them, "Give me the skin of Leopard!" 
So they handed it to him. He went off with it to his house. 
When it was dried, he took it into his inner room, and hung 
it up. He said to his children, "Let no person bring any 
of the children of Nja into this room. " 

Before that time, the children of Tortoise and of Leopard 
always hunted small animals; and they were accustomed 
daily to kill rats in their houses. 

On another day, the children of Leopard having no meat, 
and not knowing that their father was dead said, "A hunt for 
Betoli tomorrow ! " The children of Tortoise replied, "Yes ! " 

Early in the next day then, the children of Leopard made 
ready and called for those of Tortoise; and they all started 
together. 

They began at first at Leopard's end of the town; and, 
going from house to house, opened the houses and killed 
rats. They passed on toward Tortoise's end of the town, 
opening houses, and killing rats. When they came to the 
room of Tortoise himself, his children said to the others, 
"No!" The children of Leopard asked them, "Why?" 
As they arrived at the door, the children of Tortoise said, 
"Our father said that, even for catching rats, we should not 
enter that room. " But the children of Leopard broke down 
the door, and entered into the room. There they lifted their 
eyes, and discovered the skin of their father Leopard hanging! 
At once, they all hasted out of the house. But, suppressing 
their sorrow and indignation, shortly after this, they all said, 
"To go to throw wheels on the beach!" (a game; solid 
wheels, about eight or ten inches in diameter, and some 



WHERE ANIMALS TALK 207 

three inches thick, chopped out of an enormous tuber). 
They made ready their httle spears, and they all went in a 
company. Their challenge was, "To the beach!" These 
arranged themselves on one side, and those on the other. 

The children of Tortoise began the game, rolling the wheel 
to the children of Leopard. These latter, as the wheel 
rolled by, pierced its center with all their spears; none failed. 
The Leopard company shouted in victory. "Boho, eh.f^" 
And the Tortoise company dared them with, "Iwa!" Then 
the Leopard company insultingly retorted, "We are the 
ones who are accustomed to sleep with people's sisters, and 
continue to eat with them!" (i. e., that they could commit 
crimes with impunity, and still be allowed the intimate 
friendship of eating together, without the others daring to 
punish them). 

Then the Leopard company bowled the wheel toward the 
side of the Tortoise company. These latter pierced the 
wheel with all their spears; none missed. The Tortoise 
company shouted for victory, "Boho! eh?" And the Leo- 
pard company dared them with, "Iwa!" Then the Tortoise 
children shouted boastfully, "We are those who are accus- 
tomed to kill people's fathers, and hang up their skins, eh?" 

At this, the Leopard children began to rage, and joined a 
fight with the children of Tortoise. 

The children of Tortoise, and himself, and their wives 
and their children, fled and scattered over the logs into the 
stream of water, and hid themselves in holes, and never came 
back to town. 



208 WHERE ANIMALS TALK 



TALE 33 

The Fights of Mbuma-Tyetye and An Origin of the 

Leopard 

Persons 

Mekuku, and Two of His Sons Ngwaye (Partridge) 

Mbuma-Tyetye and Nja Ka (Snails) 

King N^ambu Ihonga-Honga (A Giant 

Betoli (Rats) Tooth) 

Mwamba (Snakes) Hova (A Magic Gourd) 

Ngangala (Millepedes) Tanga (Horn) 

Kedi (Stinging Ants) Ibumbu (Bundle of Medi- 

Njambu Ya Mekuku (Spirits), cine) 

and His Town Kanja (A Bowl) 

Women Hidden in Chests Ikanga (Spear) 
Ngalo (A Magic Amulet) 



NOTE 

Ngalo is a powerful fetish-charm. Sitting in a visitor's 
lap for a few moments, is a mode of welcome. 

"Njambu" is one of their forms of spelling the name of 
the Creator; very commonly used also for human beings. 
The account of the wrestling-match is suggestive of the 
surroundings of a modern athletic field. 



Njambu built a Town. He continued there a long time. 
After he had finished the town, he married very many wives. 
After a short time they all of them bore children. Those 
births were of many sons. He gave them names: Among 
them were, Upuma-mwa-penda (Year-of -doubt) , and Nja 
(Leopard) . 

And again, his wives, after a short time, all of them became 
mothers. This time, they gave birth to a large number of 
daughters. He gave them also names. 



WHERE ANIMALS TALK 209 

His town was full with men and women; they were crowded. 
And all busy. They that worked at stakes, went to cut 
saplings; those that made rattan-ropes, went to cut the 
rattan- vine; they that shaped the bamboo for building, 
went to cut the bamboo-palms; they that made thatch went 
to gather the palm-leaves; they that set up the stakes of the 
house-frame went to thrust them into the ground; they who 
fastened the w^alls, fastened them; they who tied thatch on 
the roof, tied it; they who split the rattan vines for tying, 
split them. 

The town was full of noise. The children of Njambu kept 
their father's town in motion. They rejoiced in the abundance 
of people and their force. They took dowries also for their 
sisters, and gave them in marriage to young men of other 
towns. 

Arguments were discussed; stories about White Men were 
told; amusements were played; food was eaten; and the sons 
of Njambu married wives. 

One of Njambu's sons, Upuma-mwa-penda, said to his 
mother, "Make me mekima," (mashed plantain). His 
mother asked him, "Where are you going with the mekima? " 
He answered, "I'm going to seek a marriage." And she 
said "Good!" 

In the morning, he took his rolls of mashed plantains, 
and started to go on his journey. He said to his mother, 
"You must keep my house. " She replied, "It is well. " 

He went on, on, on, until, on the road ahead, he met with 
two Rats, who were fighting. He took an ukima-roll, divid- 
ed it, and gave to them, saying, "Take ye and eat." They 
accepted, and told him, " You shall arrive at the end." 

He goes on stepping quickly, quickly; and meets two 
Snakes fighting. He parted them. He took an ukima-roll 
and gave to them; they ate. They said to him, "You shall 
reach the end. " 

He goes on with his journey, until ahead were two Mille- 
pedes fighting. He said to them, "For what are you killing 
each other? " He parted them, and gave them an ukuma-roll. 
They took it and said, "You shall reach the end!" 

He lay down in the forest at night. At midnight, his 
mother saw, in her sleep, something that said, "Go with thy 
two daughters in the morning, and take food for Mbuma- 
Tyetye (another name for Upuma-mwa-penda). 



210 WHERE ANIMALS TALK 

Early in the morning, she awoke her two daughters, and 
said, "Come! let us go to follow after your brother; he is still 
on his way. " 

They started, on, on, on, until they found him sitting down 
in the path. They brought out the food from their traveling- 
bag, and they said, " We have come to give you food, " They 
prepared the meal, and they ate. And they slept that night 
in the forest. 

Next morning, they started again, and they walked on, 
on, on, with their journey. As they came on their way, 
they listened ahead, and they heard something, saying, "Eh! 
fellows, eh! eh! fellows eh! Nobody shall pass! Nobody 
shall pass here!" 

When they drew near, they met an immense quantity of 
Red stinging Ants spread from the ground up to the tree- 
tops, entirely closing the way. Mbuma-tyetye and his 
company said, "Ah! these are they who were shouting here!" 
He advanced to the fight, and called to his younger sister, 
"Come on!" 

She lifted her foot just to tread upon the Ants; and they 
instantly entirely covered her. He and his company tried 
in vain to draw her back. The Ants shouted, to strengthen 
themselves. "Eh! fellows, eh!" 

He, still fighting, called to the elder sister, "On ahead!" 
Just as she lifted her foot, there came all the Tribe of Red 
Ants, and would have covered her up. The woman jumped 
to one side vigorously, and stood there in that spot, fanning 
away the sweat of her exertions, pe, pe, pe. She returned 
again to the Ants; and they met. She called out, "Ngalo! 
hot water!" and it appeared. She took it, and dashed it 
ait the Red Ants. But they all went into their holes; and 
came out at another opening, again closing the path. She 
still stood there ready to fight; but they covered her, and 
dragged her behind them. 

The Ants shouted over their victory, "Eh! fellows, eh! 
Today no person passes here ! " 

The son called to his mother, "Mother! come on!" His 
mother said, "My child! I am unable." He called, "Ngalo! 
Fire!" Fire at once appeared. Having drawn back the 
corpses of his sisters, he seized the fire, and thrust it into the 
nests of the Ants. He thrust it also among the trees. The 



WHERE ANIMALS TALK 211 

flame ignited them; and the surrounding forest burned to 
ashes with all the trees. And the Ants were all burned too. 

Then he brought his sisters to life, by taking that ashes, 
and throwing it over them, and down their throats into 
their stomachs. 

When the day darkened, he said, '*Ngalo! a house!" A 
tent at once appeared, with a table, and tumblers, and water, 
and all food. They sat there and ate. When they finished 
eating, they set tea on the table. They drank; they talked 
of their experiences. When they ended, they said, "Let us 
lie down together. " So they lay down for the night. 

As the next day was coming, a Partridge gave forth its 
voice, "Rise! tyatya la! tyatya la!" And the day broke 
also. They wash their faces; they set tea on the table, and 
drank it. They folded the tent-house, and swallowed it, 
(as a mode of carrying it). They started with their journey, 
and went conversing on the way. 

As they came along. Something was heard ahead. They 
listened, and heard a song. "Gribamba! eh! Gribamba! 
eh!" Mbuma-tyetye and his mother and sisters kept on 
going toward the sound, which continued, "Dingala! eh! 
A person will not pass! No doubt about it! Dingala! eh! 
Wherever he comes from, he can pass here only by coming 
from above. " 

The man and his company approached the source of the 
song, and exclaimed, "There it is!" They went on and 
found the entire tribe of Snails filling the road hither and 
yonder. He said to his mother, "What shall we do with 
the Ka Tribe.^ " They sat down to consider. They decided, 
"A fight! this very day!" They sat still, and rested for a 
while. Then he went ahead and shouted to his younger 
sister, "Come!" She called out, "Ngalo! a short sword!" 
It appeared. She called again, "A strong cloth!" It 
appeared, and she dressed herself with it. 

As she approached the Snails, one of them fell on her head 
with a thud, ndi! She took the sword, and struck it, ko! 
The Snails shouted, "We're nearing you!" A crowd of 
them came rapidly, one after another; in a heap, they entirely 
covered her, vya! And she lay a corpse! The Snails 
swarmed over her, and taking her, threw her behind them. 
They shouted in victory, "Taka! Dingala! eh!" 



212 WHERE ANIMALS TALK 

Then the elder sister said she was going to help her brother 
in facing the Snails. Her mother objected, "You? Stay!" 
But she replied, "Let me go!" She girded her body tightly, 
and then she entered the fight. The Snails surrounded her. 
They were about to drag her to their rear, when, she, at the 
side of the path, attempted to spring from them. But they 
swarmed over her. And she lay a corpse ! The mother was 
crying out, "O! My child!" when the Snails covered her 
too. 

Mbuma-tyetye retreated, to rest himself for a short time, 
and called out, "Ngalo! a helmet!" It appeared. He fitted 
it to his head. He called again, "Ngalo! a glass of strong 
drink, and of water too!" It appeared. He asked for 
tobacco. It appeared. "Matches!" They appeared. He 
struck a match, and smoked. As he thrust the cigar in his 
mouth, it stimulated him; it told him things of the future in 
its clouds of smoke. After he had rested, he stood up, again 
for the fight. 

The Snails tuned their song : 

"lya! Dingala! disabete! 
lya! Dingala! salalasala! Disabete! 
lya! Dingala! lya! Dingala! 
lya! Dingala! Salalasala! 
lya! Dingala! Eh! Bamo-eh!" 
The Snails, in their fierce charge, killed him, and were 
about to take away the corpse; when, his Ngalo returning 
him to life, he sprang erect, and cried out, "Ah! my Father 
Njambu! Dibadi-O!" 

And he took up his war-song : — 

"Tata Njambu ya milole, milole mi we. 

Ta' Njambu! milole mi we. 
Ta' Njambu! milole mi we. 

Milole mi we. Ta' Njambu!" 
All that while, the mother and his sisters were lying dead. 
The Snails were shouting in their victory, "Taka!" 
Mbuma-tyetye took a short broad knife in his hands, and 
shouted, "Dibadi!" He girded his body firmly, and stood 
erect. He called out in challenge, "I've come!" The 
Snails answered, "You've reached the end!" 

They fought. The man took his sword. The Snails fell 
down on him, ndwa! But the man stood up, and moved 



WHERE ANIMALS TALK 213 

forward. He laid hold of a small tree. He cut it, and 
whirled it about at the Snails. And the Snails fell down on 
the ground, po ! But they rose up again flinging themselves 
upon the man, ndwa! The man jumped aside crying out, 
"Ah! My father Njambu! Dibadi-0!" 

He took fire, thrust it among the tribe of Snails, and every 
one fell down on the ground, mbwa! 

Then he shaped a leaf into a funnel, and dropped a medi- 
cine into the noses of his mother and sisters. They slowly 
rose and tried to sit up. He poured the ashes of the Snails 
over them, po! They breathed it into their stomachs, kii! 
and they came fully to life. 

Then they said, "You are safe! Now! for our return 
home!" He said, "Good!" And they returned. 

Mbuma-tyetye continued his own journey, on, on, on, 
until at a cross-roads, he found a giant Tooth, a^ large as a 
man. Tooth asked, "Where are you going .^" Said he. 
"I'm going to seek a marriage at a town of Njambu-ya- 
Mekuku." Then, with his axe in hand, he turned aside 
from the path; chopped firewood, chop, chop, chop, chop, 
mbwa ! Then he kindly carried a lot of it, and presented it to 
Tooth. He also opened his bag, and taking out an ukima 
roll, laid it down at the feet of Tooth; also a bundle of gourd- 
seeds, and laid it down; and then he said, "I'm going." 
But the giant Tooth, pleased with him, said to him, "Just 
wait!" 

So, he waited; and, while waiting, said, "Ngalo! a fine 
house!" It appeared there. "A table!" There! "Good 
food!" There! "Fine drink!" There! They two ate, and 
drank, and had conversation together. 

Tooth said to him, "Where you go, do not fear." It 
brought out from its hut a water-gourd, and said, "I will not 
show you more, nor will I tell you anything at all, but this 
Hova itself will tell you." Then Tooth said to him, "Go 
well!" 

The man took the Gourd and clung to it as if it was a 
treasure. 

He started again on his journey, and had gone but a little 
way, when he found Kuda-nuts in immense abundance. 
He took up one, drew his knife, cracked the nut, and threw^ 
the kernel into his mouth. He stooped again, and was 



214 WHERE ANIMALS TALK 

about to pick up another, when the Gourd warned him, "I! 
I!'* So, he left the nuts. 

He came on in his journey, and found in abundance wild 
Mangoes. He took one, split it, and bit out a piece; and was 
about to add another, when the warning came, "I! I!" So, 
he left the Mangoes; yet his belly felt full. Still on his 
journey, thirst for water seized him at a stream. He took 
his cup, plunged it into the water, filled it, drank, and was 
about to take more, when the warning said, "I! I!" And 
he left the water. Yet his belly felt full. 

On his journey still, till he came to a large river. There 
he stood, and listened, as he heard a boat-song, "Ayehe! 
ahe! ayehe! e!' There passed by the sound of paddles, 
wom' ! wom' ! but he saw no person; nor did he see any canoe. 
Gourd said to him, "Call!" Then he called out, "Who are 
these.^ Bring me a canoe!" A voice replied, "Who are 
you.f^" He answered, "I!" The canoe came nearer, its 
crew singing, singing, until it grounded on the beach. He 
saw what seemed only a great log! Gourd said to him, 
'*Embark!" He got in. The crew also (apparently) got 
in again; for, the sound of paddles was again heard, worom'! 
worom' ! 

Instead of going straight across the river, they pulled far 
up stream, and then came all the v/ay down again on the 
other side. As they came, they were constantly keeping up 
the song, until they grounded at the landing-place at that 
other side. Still he saw nothing of the invisible boatmen, 
when he landed. 

Ascending the bank of the stream, he saw a strange new 
town. He entered its public reception-house, and sat down. 
As he was looking for some one to come, a Horn came and 
sat on his lap, and then moved away. A Bundle of Medicine 
came, sat, and moved away. A Bowl came and sat. A 
Spear came and sat. All these Things saluted him. Behold ! 
they were the People of that Town (in disguise) ; but he saw 
none of them. 

Gourd said to him, "Come and escort me into the back- 
yard." He at once stepped out; and, when in the back- 
yard. It said. "Put me down." (It had been carried sus- 
pended from his shoulder.) He put It down, standing It 
at the foot of a plantain-stalk. Gourd making a leaf funnel, 



WHERE ANIMALS TALK 215 

dropped something into his eyes His eyes suddenly, kaa! 
were opened, and he saw everything, and all the people, and 
the whole street. 

Returning to the house, he sat down. Maidens came. Such 
goodness as you have scarcely known ! Forms lovely to see ! 

The Chief of the town said, "Make ye food!" It was 
made at once. Then one whom he chose was given him for 
his wife. 

She and this young son-in-law were left sitting in the 
house. The wife began to weep, saying to herself, "What 
will be his manner of eating.^" (a test to be applied to him 
as suitor) . The Gourd called him with a voice like the stroke 
of a bell, ngeng ! He went out to the Gourd, and It said to 
him, "When you shall eat, take one piece of plantain, flesh 
of the fowl, and then dip one spoonful of the udika (w^ild- 
mango gravy), put them in your mouth; and thou shalt say 
unto her, 'Take; you may remove the food.' You shall see 
what will happen." He did so. His wife laughed in her 
heart; and she went and told her mother, "He is a person of 
sense." The towns-people said to her, "What did he do.^" 
She evasively said to them. "Let us see ! " 

In the evening, the father-in-law said to him, "You have 
found us here in the midst of a work of garden-making for 
your mother-in-law." (A man is always expected to do 
some work for his wife's mother.) He said. "That's good, 
Father!" 

Gourd called to him, and told him, "It is not a garden; 
it is an entire forest; it is not planted; it is all wild country. 
But, tomorrow, at daylight, early, you say to your wife 
that she must go and show you. You must take one young 
plantain-set, and a machete, and an axe. When you shall 
arrive there, then you shall say to her, "Go back!" And 
she will go back. Then, you will slash with the machete, 
kwa! and leave it. You take also the axe and cut, ka! and 
say, 'Ngunga-0! Mekud' O! Makako ma dibake man- 
jeya-0!' You shall see what will happen. Then you 
insert the plantain-set in the ground. Then you set up a 
bellows, and work it. And you shall see what will happen. " 

(All that Garden-Plan was made by the townspeople in 
order that he might weary of the task, and they then find 
excuse for kilHng him. For they were Cannibals.) 



216 WHERE ANIMALS TALK 

At daybreak, he did so. He called his wife. He and she 
went on until they came to the chosen spot. Said he, '*Go 
back!" The woman went back. He did just as he had 
been directed, as to the clearing, and the felling, the incanta- 
tion, and the planting. The plantains bore, and ripened at 
once. Every kind of food developed in that very hour. 

The man went back to the town, and sat down. They set 
before him food. 

They sent a child to spy the garden. The child returned, 
excitedly saying, "Men! the entire forest! with all such foods! 
only ripe ones!" They said to him, "You're telling a false- 
hood!" And they said, "Let another go and see." He 
went; and returned thence with a ripe plantain held in his 
hand. 

In the evening, the Chief said to him, "Sir! tomorrow, 
people will have been filled with hunger for meat. A little 
pond of your mother-in-law is over there. Tomorrow it is 
to be bailed out." (In order to get the fish that would be 
left in the bottom pools.) 

Gourd called him, ngeng! He went to It, and It said, 
"That is not a pond, it is a great river, (like the Lobi at 
Batanga) . However, when you shall go, you must take one 
log up stream and one log down stream (for a pretence of 
dams). You shall see what will happen. Then you must 
bail only once, and say, 'Itata-0!' You shall see." 

Next morning, he did so. And the whole river was drained; 
and the fish were left in the middle, alone. He returned to 
the town, and sat down. The people went to see; and, they 
were frightened at the abundance of fish. For a whole 
month, fish were gathered; and fish still were left. 

The Chief went to call his townspeople, saying, "We will 
do nothing to this fellow. Let him alone; for, you have 
tried him with every test." They said, "Yes; and he has 
lingered here," (i. e., was no longer a stranger; and there- 
fore should not be eaten). But, they said, "Tomorrow 
there will be only wTCstling. " (This was said deceitfully.) 

In the evening, the father-in-law called him, saying, 
" Mbuma-tyetye, tomorrow there is only wrestling. You 
have stayed long here. As you are about to go away with 
my child, there is left only one thing more that she wants to 
see, that is, the wrestling tomorrow." 



WHERE ANIMALS TALK 217 

Gourd called him, and said to him, "It is not only for 
wrestling. You know the part of the village where is the 
Wrestling-Ground. There is a big pit there. You will take 
care if you are near that pit; and you must push them in. " 

In the evening, food was made, and soon it was ready. 
He and his wife ate, and finished. They engaged in conversa- 
tion. They took pleasure over their love that night. 

The next day, in the morning, very early, the drums, 
both the elimbi and the common, began promptly to tell 
things in the street. (The Elimbi is a specially made drum 
used to transmit information by a system of signal strokes. 
News is thus carried very far and very rapidly.) The Gourd 
called him, and handed him a leaf of magic-medicme, to hold 
in his hand, saying, "Go; fear not!" 

The townspeople began to shout back and forth a song 
(to arouse enthusiasm). Two companies ranged on each 
side of the street, singing. "Engolongolo! ha! ha! Engolo- 
ngolo! ha! ha!" 

" Engolongolo ! ha! ha! 
Engolongolo! ha! ha!" 

Hearing their song as a challenge, the young man went 
out of the house into the street. Up to this point, the 
strongest wrestler of the town, named Ekwamekwa, was 
not with them; he was out in the forest, felhng trees. 

When the towns-people saw the young man standing in 
the street, they advanced as many as a hundred all at once. 
He laid his hands upon them, and they all went back; he 
also went back. Soon he advanced again, and his single 
opponent advanced. They two laid their hands on each 
other's shoulders. The townspeople began another song, 
as if in derision. "O! O! A! O! O! A! O! 0! A! 

At once, he seized his opponent, and threw him into the 
pit. Thereupon, his father-in-law shouted in commenda- 
tion, "Iwa!" 

Another one came forward; Mbuma-tyetye advanced; and 
as they met together, he took him, and threw him into the 
pit. Again the shout, "Iwa!" 

The sisters of the two men in the pit began to cry. The 
others said to the girls, "What are you doing .^ He shall 
die today! It is we who shall eat those entrails today!" 
(Among cannibals, a choice portion.) 



218 WHERE ANIMALS TALK 

Another one was coming, and, as they met together, 
again the shout of derision, "O! O! O! A! O! O! O! A! O! O! 
O! A!" But, at one fling, Mbuma-tyetye cast him into the 
pit. "Iwa" was repeated. 

The sister of him who was thrown thus into the pit began 
to cry. The people rebuked her, *'Mbaba! mbaba! Join 
in the singing!" 

Another one was coming; Mbuma-tyetye advanced; and 
as they came together, he Hfted him, holding him by the 
foot. The singers, to encourage their man, said responsively, 
*'Dikubwe! Dikubwe! Fear not an elephant wdth his tusks! 
Take off ! take off ! " Mbuma-tyetye lifted him, and promptly 
pushed him down into the pit, with a thud, 'kodom' ! 

The people began to call out anxiously, "We-e! we-e! O! 
They are overcome! They are overcome! O! Some one 
must go hastily, and call Ekwamekwa, and tell him that 
people are being destroyed in the town, and he must come 
quickly." 

Some one got up, and ran to call Ekwamekwa, wailing as 
he went, "lya! lya! lya! Ekwamekwa, iya-0! Come! 
People are exterminated in the town!" 

He heard with one ear {i. e. at once). He snatched up 
his machete and axe, saying, "What is it?" The messenger 
repeated, "Come! a being from above has destroyed many a 
one in the town!" 

The man Ekwamekwa, full of boasting, said, "Is it possible 
there is no man in the town?" He came, already shaking 
the muscles of his chest, pwa! pwa (a custom with native 
wrestlers, as a lion his mane). His muscles were quivering 
with rage, nya! nya! nya! 

The drums, both the elimbi-telegraph and the common, 
were being beaten, and were sounding without intermission. 
The singers were shouting; the wrestlers' bodies had perspira- 
tion flowing from them. The noise of the people, of the tele- 
graph drums and other drums, and sticks (sticks beating 
time) were rattling kwa! kwa! kwa! 

As Ekwamekwa appeared, the women and children raised 
their shrill voices. The shouters yelled, "A! la! la! la! a!" 

Mbuma-tyetye advanced at once. He and Ekwamekwa 
laid hold of one another, and alternately pressed each other 
backward and forward. The one tried tricks to trip the 



WHERE ANIMALS TALK 219 

other, and the other tried the same. Ekwamekwa held him, 
and was about to throw him on the ground. The other 
jumped to one side, and stood, his muscles quivering, po! po! 
po! tensely. Ekwamekwa seized him about the waist and 
loins. The people all were saying, "Let no one shout!" 
(lest Ekwamekwa be confused). They said, "Make no 
noise ! He is soon going to be eaten! " And it was a woman 
who said, "Get ready the kettle!" 

Ekwamekwa still held him by the loins. So, they called 
out, " Down with him ! Down with him ! " But Mbuma-tye- 
tye shouted, "I'm here!" He put his foot behind Ekwame- 
kwa's leg, and lifted him, and threw him into the pit, kodom! 

Then there was a shout of distress by the people, "A! a! 
a! a!' and Ekwamekwa called out, "Catch him! catch him!" 
Mbuma-tyetye, lifting his feet, ran to his father-in-law's 
end of the town, and all the men came after him. His 
father-in-law protected him, and said to them, "You can do 
nothing with this stranger!" 

At night, the Chief said to him, "Sir, you may go away 
tomorrow." 

At daybreak, food was cooked. The Chief Njambu-ya- 
Mekuku, put his daughters into large chests. In one was a 
lame one; another, covered with skin disease; and another, 
with a crooked nose; and others, with other defects in other 
chests, each in her own chest. But, he put the wife into a 
poor chest all dirty outside with droppings of fowls, and 
human excrement, and ashes. In it also, he placed a servant 
and all kinds of fine clothing. Then said he to Mbuma-tye- 
tye, "Choose which chest contains your wife." 

The Gourd at once called him, and It said to him, "Lift 
me up!" It whispered to him, "The chest which is covered 
with dirt and filth, it is the one which contains your wife. 
Even if they say, 'Ha! ha! he has had all his trouble for 
nothing; he has left his wife,' do you nevertheless carry it, 
and go on with your journey. " 

He came to the spot where the chests were. The Chief 
said again, " Choose, from the chests, the one which contains 
your w^fe." Mbuma-tyetye picked up the poor one. They 
shouted. But, he at once started on his journey, and on, 
until he came to the river, stepped into a canoe, paddled to 
the other side, landed, and went on, carrying the chest. 



220 WHERE ANIMALS TALK 

Almost in an instant (by his magic Ngalo) he was at the 
place of the Great Tooth. It asked, *'How is it there?" 
He replied, "Good!" The Gourd, in leaving, reported to 
Its mother, the Tooth, "A fine fellow, that person there!" 

He went on with his journey, his feet treading firmly. 
Almost with one stride (by aid of his Ngalo) , in the twinkling 
of eyes, he was near the spring at his own town. 

Then he said, "Now let me open the chest here!" On his 
opening it, a maiden attended by her servant came stepping 
out, arrayed in the clothing which had been placed in the 
chest for her dress. One's eyes would ache at sight of her 
silks, and the fine form of her person. And you or any other 
one could say, "Yes! you are a bride! truly a bride!" 

Two young women rose up in the town to go to the spring 
to dip up water. They were just about to come to the 
spring, when they saw their brother and his wife and her 
servant. They two went back together rapidly to the town, 
saying, "Well! if there isn't the woman whom Mbuma-tyetye 
has married! They are two women and himself!" 

The town emptied itself to go and meet them on the path. 
His father took powder and guns, with which to announce 
the arrival; and cannon were roaring. When the young 
woman came and stood there in the street, there was only 
shouting and shouting, in admiration. 

Another brother, named Nja, when he came to see her, was 
so impressed to get a wife like her, that, without waiting 
for the salutations to be made, he said to his mother, "My 
mother! make for me my mekima, too." 

Mbuma-tyetye entered into the house, he and his wife. 
At once hot water was set before them, and they went to 
bathe. When they had finished, they entered the public 
Recept ion-Room. Nja, impatient to get away and, in impo- 
lite haste, said, "Now, for my journey!" His brother ad- 
vised him, "First wait; let me tell you how the way is." 
He replied, "Not so!" And he started off on his journey. 

The others sat down to tell, and to hear the news. They 
told Mbuma-tyetye the affairs of the town ; and he responded 
as to how he had come. When he had completely finished, 
he was welcomed, " lye ! Oka ! oka-0 ! But now, sit down and 
stay. " 

Now, when Nja had gone, he met the two Millepedes 



WHERE ANIMALS TALK 221 

fighting. He exclaimed, "By my father Njambu! what is 
this?" He stood there with laughter, "Kye! kye! kye!" 
He clapped his hands, " Kwa ! kw^a ! You ! there ! let me pass !" 
They asked, "Give us an ukima. " He stood laughing, kwa! 
kwa! saying, "I will see this today! Food that is eaten by 
a human being! Is it so that they have teeth? As I see it, 
they, having no mouths, how can they eat? " But he opened 
his food-bag, took an ukima, and gave them a small piece. 
They rebuked him for his meanness, and laid a curse on 
him, "Aye! You will not reach the end." He responded, 
"I won't reach my end, eh? Humph! I'm going on my 
journey!" He left them; and they grabbed at the very 
little piece of ukima he had given them. 

He cried out, "Journey!" and went on both by day and 
by night, travehng until he met the two Snakes fighting. 
He derided them, and took a club, and was about to strike 
them, when they cursed him, "You will not reach the end!" 
However, he gave them, at their request, an ukima, and 
passed on. As he turned to go, and was leaving them, they 
made signs behind him, repeating their curse, "He will not 
reach safely!" And they added, "He has no good sense; 
let us leave him. " 

He still cried out, "Journey!" and went on to that place 
of Ihonga-na-Ihonga whose size filled all the width of the 
way. He made a shout, raising it very loud, and repeated 
his exclamation, "By my father, Njambu! Thou who hast 
begotten me, thou hast not seen such as this!' Tooth 
asked, "Where are you going?" He, astonished, exclaimed, 
"Ah! It can talk! Alas! for me!" x\nd he added a shout 
again, with laughter, "Kwati! kwati! kwati!" It spoke and 
said, "Please, split for me fire-wood." He replied, "What 
will fire-wood do for you?" He, however, split the wood 
hastily, ko! ko! ke! and left it in a pile. It said, "Leave 
me an ukima." He responded, "Yes; let me see what It 
will do with it now!' He opened his food-bag, and laid an 
ukima down disrespectfully, and said, "Eat! let me see!" 

Tooth said to him, "Sleep here!" Said he, "If I sleep 
here, what is there for me to sit on? " It rephed only, " Sleep 
here!" He said, "Yes!" Then he invoked his Ngalo, "A 
seat!" It appeared, and he sat down. In the evening, he 
invoked, "Ngalo, a house!" It appeared. "A bed!" It 



222 WHERE ANIMALS TALK 

appeared . "A table ! " It appeared . " Food ! " It was set 
out. He ate, but did not offer any to Tooth, and fell into a 
deep sleep. 

At daybreak, he was given water to wash his face, and 
food; and he ate it. Then the Tooth said to him, "Now, 
this is a Hova; go; the Hova will tell you what you should 
do," Said he sarcastically "Good! a good thing!" And he 
started on his journey. But, when he was gone, he despised 
the Gourd, and said to himself, "What can this water-jar do 
for me? I shall leave it here." And he laid it down at the 
foot of a Buda tree. There were many kuda (nuts of the 
Buda) lying on the ground. He prepared a seat, and sat 
down. He gathered the kuda nuts in one place. He took 
up a nut, broke it, threw its kernel into his mouth, and 
chewed it. He picked up another one, and was going to 
break it. Gourd warningly said, "I! I!" He replied, "Is 
it that you want me to give it to you?" Gourd answered 
only, "I-I!" And he said, "But, then, your 'I! I!' what is 
it for? " He broke many of the nuts, taking them up quickly; 
and finished eating all. And still his tomach felt empty, as 
if he had eaten nothing. 

He then said, "The Journey!" He started, still carrying 
with him the Gourd, going on, on, until he came to the Bwibe 
tree (wild mango). That Bwibe was sweet. He collected 
the mibe fruits, and began to split them. He split many in 
a pile, and then said, "Now! let me suck!" He sucked them 
all, but he felt no sense of repletion, although the Gourd had 
warned him. He took the skins of the mibe fruit, and angrily 
thrust them inside the Gourd's mouth, saying, "Eat! You 
who have no teeth, what makes you say I must not eat? 
But, take you!" 

He goes on with his journey. And he found water. He 
took his drinking- vessel, plunged it into the water, dipped, 
put it to his mouth, drank, and drained the vessel. He 
wanted more, plunged the vessel, and drank, draining the 
vessel. He took more again, disregarding the warnings of 
Gourd. The water said to him, "Here am I, I remain 
myself. " {i. e. I will not satisfy you.) He gave up drink- 
ing, and started his journey again, journeying, journeying, 
crossed some small creeks, and passed clear on, until he 
came to the River. As he listened, he heard songs passing 



WHERE ANIMALS TALK 223 

by. He said to himself. "Now! those who sing, where are 
they?" 

The Gourd spoke to him, saying, "Call for the canoe!" 
He replied, "How shall I call for a canoe, while I see no 
people? " Gourd repeated to him, " Call ! " Then he shouted 
out, "You, bring me the canoe!" Voices asked, "Who art 
thou?" He answered, "I! Nja!" Some of the voices said, 
"Come! let us ferry him across." Others said, "No!" 
But the rest answered, "Come on!" Then they entered 
their canoe, laid hold of their paddles, and came singing, 
"Kapi, madi, madi, sa! 
Kapi, mada, mada, sa!" 

And they came to the landing. He saw nothing but what 
seemed a log, and exclaimed, "How shall I embark in a log, 
while there is neither paddle, nor a person for a crew?" 
But Gourd directed him, "Embark!" So, he went in the 
log. They paddled, and brought him to the other side. He 
jumped ashore, and stood for a moment. Then he moved 
on with the journey, walking on to a certain town (that 
town of the Spirits). He saw nobody, but entered into the 
public Reception-House, and sat down. 

Gourd spoke to him, saying, "Come, and escort me to the 
back-yard." He curtly answered, "Yes." He carried It, 
and stood It at the foot of a plantain stalk. Then he went 
back to the Reception-House and sat down. 

A Bundle of Medicines came to salute him, and was about 
to sit on his lap. He jumped up saying, "What is this?" 
He sat down again. Another Bundle fell on his lap. He 
exclaimed, "Hump! what is that?" The Bundle being dis- 
pleased, replied, "You will not come to the end." (i. e. 
you will not have a successful journey.) 

The Gourd called him; and he went to the back-yard. 
The Gourd said to him, "Stand up!" And he stood up. 
Then the Gourd took a leaf, folded it as a funnel, and dropped 
a Medicine into his eyes; and he began to see everything 
clearly. He said, "This is the only thing which I can see 
that this Hova has done for me. " He passed by, and entered 
the Reception-House again, and sat down. A person came 
saluting him, "Mbolo!" He responded, "Ai!" Another 
came, "Mbolo!" He replied, "Ai!" 

They cooked food, and got it ready to bring to him. 



224 WHERE ANIMALS TALK 

During this while, he told his errand, and was given a 
wife. 

Gourd called him. He went out to It: and It directed 
him, "When you are going to eat, you must take only one 
piece of plantain, and a piece of the flesh of the fowl. Then 
you dip it into the udika-gravy, and put it into your mouth; 
and you will chew it; and when you have swallowed it, then 
you leave the remainder of the food." He disregardfully 
said, "Yes ! Yes ! " And he laughed, " kye ! kye ! kye !" I do 
not know what this Hova means! And that 'remainder,' 
shall I give it to It?" And he entered the house again, and 
sat down. 

The food was set out. Little children came; they said to 
each other, "Let us see how he will eat." He took up a 
piece of plantain, and put it in his mouth; he took a fowl's 
leg, put it in his mouth; and gnawed the flesh off of the bone. 
He took up another piece of plantain, dipped a spoon into the 
udika-gravy, and put it into his mouth; he took a piece of 
meat and a plantain, and swallowed them. The little chil- 
dren began to jeer at him, "He eats like a person who has 
never eaten before. " He rose; but felt as if his stomach was 
empty. 

He again seated himself, and he and his wife played games 
together. Soon he said, "My body feels exhausted with 
hunger"; food was again made and was set out; he ate. 
The result was the same. The evening meal was also pre- 
pared; he ate, and finished; and still was hungry. 

In the evening, the Chief of the town called together the 
tribe and said to them, "Men! I see that this fellow has no 
sense; let him return to his place. " 

On another day, Nja said to himself, "Let me try, as the 
Hova has advised me, about the food." They cooked; they 
set it on the table. He took a piece of plantain, and some 
flesh of the fowl; he placed them on a spoon, and dipped 
them into the udika, and put them into his mouth. He 
rose up, saying, "I have finished!" And his stomach felt 
replete. Then he thought to himself, "So! is it possible 
that this Hova knows the affairs of the Spirits.^" 

The next time when food was spread on the table, he did 
the same way ; and his stomach was satisfied. 

Another day broke, and his father-in-law said to him, "On 



WHERE ANIMALS TALK 225 

the morrow will be your journey." When the next day 
dawned, the Chief brought out the chests containing his 
daughters, and said, "Now, then! choose the one that you 
will take with you." 

The Gourd whispered to him, "Do not take the fine-look- 
ing one; you must take the one you see covered with filth." 
He responded, "Not I!" The one he chose was the fine one. 
He took it up, and carried it away. The town's-people 
began to cry out (in pretence), "Oh! he has taken from us 
that fine maiden of ours !' ' He was full of gladness that at 
last he was married. But, really, he was carrying a woman, 
crooked-nosed, and all of whose body was nothing but skin- 
disease, and pus oozing all over her. 

He went on his journey, on, on, on, on, until the town of 
the Tooth. Said he, "Here's your Hova!" The Tooth 
requested, "Tell me the news from there." The Gourd 
whispered to Tooth, "Let this worthless fellow be! Let him 
go! He did not marry a real woman. So, he is not a per- 
son." 

The man at once went on with his journey, continuously, 
until he came to the spring by his own town. Said he, 
"Let me bathe!" He put down the chest, and threw his 
body with a plunge, into the water. He bathed himself 
thoroughly, and emerged on the bank. Then he said to 
himself, "Now, then, let me open the chest!" The key 
clicked, and the chest opened. A sick woman stepped out! 
He demanded, "Who brought you here.^" She replied, 
"You." Said he in astonishment, "I?" "Yes," answered 
she. He, in anger, said, "Go back! Do not come at all to 
the town!" He at once started to go to the town; and the 
woman slowly followed. 

There were two children who were going to the spring. 
As they went, they met with her; and they cried out in fear, 
"Aye! aye! aye! a Ghost! aye!" And they went back to- 
gether in haste to the town. The town's-people asked them, 
"What's the matter?" They said, "Come! there's a Ghost 
at the spring!" The woman continued slowly coming. 
Other children said, "Let us go! Does a Ghost come in the 
daytime? That is not so!" 

As they came on the path, they met her. They asked her, 
"Who has married you?" She repHed, "Isn't it Nja?" 



226 WHERE ANIMALS TALK 

The children excitedly cried out shrilly, "A! la! la!" They 
went back quickly to the town, saying, "Come ye! see the 
wife of Nja!'* The town emptied itself to go and see her. 
And they inquired of her, '* Who is it who has married you?" 
She answered, "Is it not Nja?" And the shrill cry of sur- 
prise rose again, "A! la! la! la!" 

When they reached the town, Nja rose in anger from his 
house, picked up his spear, stood facing them, and threatened 
with his spear, "This is it!" 

He passed by them into the back-yard, and changed his 
body to that of a new kind of beast, with spots all over his 
skin. At once he stooped low on four legs; and thrust out 
his claws ; and begun a fight with the people of the town, as a 
Leopard. Then he went, leaping off into the Forest. 

From there, he kept the name "Nja," and has continued 
his fight with Mankind. The hatred between leopards and 
mankind dates from that time. Some of the people of that 
country had said to Mbuma-Tyetye that he would not be able 
to marry at the town of the Spirits, and had tried to hinder 
him. But he did go, and succeeded in marrying a daughter 
of Njambu-ya-Mekuku; while Nja, attempting to do the 
same, and not waiting for advice from his brother, and treat- 
ing with disrespect the Spirits on the way, failed. 



TALE 34 

A Snake's Skin Looks Like a Snake 

Persons 

Bokeli, Son of Njambe-Ya- Ko (Wild Rat) 

Manga Mbindi (Wild Goat) 

Jamba, Daughter of Njambe- Etungi, A Town Idler 

Ya-Madiki Kuba (Chicken) 

NOTE 

Bokeli was like a snake. When a snake changes and 
throws off his old skin, that slough, when it is left lying at 
any place, is almost as fearful to see, as the snake itself. 



WHERE ANIMALS TALK 227 

The list of the dowry goods for Jamb^ is a good illustration 
of native exaggeration. 



Njambe-of-the-Interior begot a daughter called Jamba. 
And Njambe-of-the-Sea-Coast begot a son called Bokeli. 

Many men arrived at the town of Njambe-of-the-Interior, 
asking Jamba for marriage. There they were killed (Njam- 
be's people were cannibals), not being able to fulfill the tests 
to which they were subjected. So, people said, "Jamba will 
not be married!" 

Finally Bokeli, the son of Njambe-of-the-Sea-Coast, said, 
"I am going to take Jamba for marriage." He prepared 
for his journey; he went; and he arrived at the town. He 
at once entered into the public Reception-House, and sat 
down. There the people of the town exclaimed, "A fine- 
looking man!" And they saluted him, "Mbolo!" The 
young women at once went to tell Jamba, saying, "What a 
fine-looking man has come to marry you!" 

Previous to this, the mother of Jamba, who was lame with 
sores, was lying in the house. If a prospective son-in-law 
laughed in her presence, she would say to her husband, 
"He is mocking at me!" Then that visitor would die. 
All the men who had come there to marry, were killed in 
that way. 

Before this (as Bokeli understood the speech of all Beasts 
and of Birds) when he entered into the Reception-House, a 
Cock in the town spoke to him, and said, "If your hope for 
food rests on me, you will not eat! I will not be killed for 
you; neither shall you eat at all!" Also a loin of Wild-Goat 
meat, hanging in the kitchen, said, "For me, you will not 
eat!" 

But Njambe (who had overheard the Cock, and who was 
thinking of food for his guest) ordered, "Today, catch ye 
Kuba!" But Cock ran off to the forest. Then the people 
said, "Take the leg of Mbindi!" The leg of Wild-Goat pro- 
tested, "I?" And it rotted. They sought some other 
thing to cook for Bokeli; but, there was nothing. So, Njam- 
be sent his sons hunting to kill wild beasts. 

Then, the mother of Jamba called for Bokeli, saying, "He 
must come; let me see him." So, he entered into her house, 



228 WHERE ANIMALS TALK 

and he sat down. They began to converse. It was but a 
Kttle while then that the mother said to her daughter, 
"Search for me on the drying frame (over the fire-place); 
you will find Ko there; take it for the guest, and cook it." 
The Wild-Rat spoke, saying, "If it is I, he will not possibly 
eat!" 

At this, Bokeli broke into a laugh. The mother was dis- 
pleased, and said, "You are laughing at me!" Bokeli 
replied, "No!" But, the woman flung into a rage, and 
threw herself down on the ground, ndi! She exclaimed, 
"Ah! Njambe! He laughed at me! Catch him! And let 
him go to die!" 

They laid hold of him, and brought him out of the house. 
They were about to go a little further to the end of the town, 
when he suddenly pretended he was a corpse, and leaving 
his body, his spirit went back home, and assumed another 
body. They became quiet, all of them being startled. When 
they moved him, he was as cold as cold victuals. They 
said, "What shall we do here?" Some of them advised, 
"Let us take Jamba and this corpse, and let us go together 
to his father, and explain, 'Bokeli is dead, but this woman 
is his wife.' " Others said, "What! lest his father will kill 
us!" Then they decided, "Not so! but, let us send as mes- 
senger some Etungi (useless person; no loss if he should be 
killed) to the father's town. 

The Etungi went on that errand. When he arrived at 
Bokeli's town, he met Bokeli sitting at the village smithy, 
and, not recognizing him, was intending to pass him by. 
Thereupon, Bokeli called to him, "Brother-in-law! what 
are you doing? You have found me sitting here, but you 
seem about to entirely pass me by. Though all your family 
do not like me, come in to the Reception-House." The 
Etungi thought to himself, "Ah! I am dead! Is not this a 
brother of Bokeli?" Bokeli called to his mother, and told 
her, "Bring out that food of mine quickly that is there! 
My brother-in-law has come; he feels hungry!" 

They set the food as soon as possible. And the Etungi 
ate. 

Bokeli asked him, "Where are you going to?" The 
Etungi replied, "I'm on my way going to tell Njambe that 
his son Bokeh is dead." Bokeli said to him, "This is I." 



WHERE ANIMALS TALK 229 

Then he gave the Etungi a shirt and a cloth and a hat, as 
proofs of his reahty. 

The Etungi returned to his town. And he reported to 
the people in the town, "Bokeh is not dead; I met him at 
the bellows, working." They thought he was lying, and 
they said, "Let him be beaten!" But the Etungi replied, 
"True! see ye this shirt, and the cloth, and this hat!" He 
added, "He that doubts must first go and see." 

Then went Kombe. When he arrived, he found Bokeli 
at the bellows. When Bokeli saw him coming, he arose at 
once, and went to his mother in the house; he seized a mach- 
ete, and cut down a plantain bunch, yo ! And he said to his 
mother, "Make haste to cook it!" 

Kombe had by that time entered the Reception-House. 
Bokeli welcomed him, sa-a! and said, "Sit down!" Kombe 
sat down. Food had been cooked; and he ate. Kombe 
then says, "I'm going back!" Bokeli at once put down at 
his feet the dowry for Jamba, cloths, shirts, hats, etc, etc. 
Kombe carried away the things. And having arrived at his 
town, he says, "It is true!" 

Their father Njambe directed, "Come ye! over there with 
a present as a propitiation!" Then he gathered goats, 
fowls, ducks, plantains, dried meats, fishes, all sorts and 
kinds. He ordered, "Make ye a bier, and carry the corpse. 
I am going, even if I die!" (He still had a doubt about the 
real Bokeli.) They did so. They carried the presents, and 
they went, going on the journey. 

When those in front had arrived at the half-way of the 
road, the father said to his children, "You must now remain 
here. I shall first go to the town. If you hear a sound of 
guns, you will know that I am killed; then ye must go back. " 
The father Njambe took Jamba to accompany him, and his 
wives with him. 

When Bokeli saw them coming, at once the cannon were 
loaded, and were fired in a salute of welcome, and all the guns 
and musical instruments sounded, and people saying, "The 
bride is come!" 

The children of Njambe who were left on the way, when 
they heard the sounds of the cannons and guns, said to them- 
selves that their father was killed, and they scattered and 
hid themselves. But he hastily started and went back to 



230 WHERE ANIMALS TALK 

the place where he had left them; and he found nobody there. 
He called them; and they came out of their hiding. He 
commanded, " Throw away this thing (the supposed corpse); 
take up the goods; come to the town of Bokeli. " 

Then they went to the town. They found Jamba and her 
husband Bokeli sitting and playing. And they were treated 
with much kindness. Oxen and pigs were killed; they ate; 
they drank; and had great fun and very much enjoyment. 

Njambe-of-the-Interior then said that he was ready to 
journey back to his town. But his friend Njambe-of-the- 
Sea-Coast said, "Not today, but tomorrow in the morning; 
then I will give you the dowry. " 

On the next day, they delivered the dowry; five millions 
of spear-heads (an iron currency); knives also, a million; one 
thousand hats; one thousand shirts; one hundred cloths; 
bags and trunks one hundred; bales of all kinds of white 
man's things; and native things in abundance; cattle also 
in abundance. Then they went away with them to their 
town. 

And Bokeli and Jamba remained in the seaside town with 
their marriage. 



PART THIRD 

Fang Tribe 

FOREWORD 

In this Part, are tales told me by an old Batanga man, of 
the Banaka Tribe. He could not give me the time to come 
to my room, and tell me, sentence by sentence, as the other 
two narrators had done. But, having some education, he 
wrote the stories in his native language, and, at my leisure, 
I translated them. The translation is literal, except when 
the short phrases, clear to native thought, would have been 
an imperfect sentence to an English eye; or, where an allusion 
to well-known native customs, perfectly obvious to a native, 
would have been obscure to most readers. In such cases, I 
have sacrificed to clearness the concise native idiom. To a 
student of higher criticism, the sentences which are mine 
will reveal themselves. In my literal translations of the 
native, I have used very simple short words, mostly of 
Anglo-Saxon origin. In my own paraphrases, words of 
Latin origin have appeared. 

Some tales of this Part are of Fang origin from the Bulu 
Tribe of the interior. My Batanga friend told me he heard 
them from Bulu people visiting at the Coast, and he wrote 
them as they were then current on the coast. After I had 
translated them from his Bandka vernacular, I found, and 
pointed out to him, that some of them had already been 
printed in Fang, as specimens of Bulu idioms, in a published 
Grammar of the Bulu-Fang Language ("Handbook of Bulu, 
by G. S. Bates"). This explanation is proper to be made, 
that while, unknown to me, Mr. Bates was collecting direct 
from his Bulu informants in the interior, my Batanga friend 
had collected for me, from his Bulu visitors; and the tales 
were in my possession, translated into English by myself, 
before I saw Mr. Bates * book, or even knew of its existence. 



231 



TALE 1 

Candor 

Persons 

Ngiya (Gorilla) Ingenda (A Small Monkey) 



Gorilla, among all Beasts, was derided and jeered at by 
them. They called him "Broken-face." 

So, he spoke to Ingenda of the Monkey Tribe, and ordered 
it, "Just examine for me this face of mine; whether it is 
really so, you tell me." The monkey was afraid to refuse, 
and afraid also to tell the truth. So it ascended a tree; and, 
as it went, it plucked the fruits. It said to Gorilla, "I must 
first eat before answering your question; I feel hungry." 
(As an excuse to give itself time to escape.) 

So Ingenda went; and, by the time it had eaten two of the 
fruits, it was near the tree-top. Then it called to Gorilla 
"Look here! with your face turned upward." So the 
Gorilla looked, with its face upward. And Ingenda, being 
in a safe place, acknowledged, "It is really so, really so." 
Gorilla was angry; but was helpless to revenge itself on 
Ingenda for its candid statement; for, he had no way by 
which to catch him. And Ingenda went off, leaping as it 
went from tree-top to tree-top. 



233 



234 WHERE ANIMALS TALK 

TALE 2 

Which is the Better Hunter, an Eagle or a Leopard? 

Persons 
Mbela (Eagle) Nje (Leopard) 



Eagle and Leopard had a discussion about obtaining prey. 

Eagle said, " I am the one who can surpass you in preying. " 
Leopard said, *'Not so! Is it not I?'' 

Then Eagle said, "Wait; see whether you are the one to 
surpass me in preying." Thereupon he descended from 
above, seized a child of Leopard, and flew up with it to his 
nest. 

Leopard exclaimed, "Alas! what shall I do?" And he 
went, and went, walking about, coming to one place, and 
going to another, wishing to fly in order to go to the rescue 
of his child. He could not fly, for want of wings; therefore 
it was the other one who flew up and away. 

So it was that the eagle proved that he surpassed the 
leopard in seeking prey. 



TALE 3 

A Lesson in Evolution 

Persons 

Unyunge (The Shrew-Mouse) Po (A Lemur) 

note 

The development of the Shrew's long nose, and of the Le- 
mur's big eyes. 



Shrew and Lemur were neighbors in the town of Beasts. 
At that time, the Animals did not possess fire. Lemur said 



WHERE ANIMALS TALK 235 

to Shrew, "Go! and take for us fire from the town of Man- 
kind." Shrew consented, but said, "If I go, do not look, 
while I am gone, toward any other place except the path 
on which I go. Do not even wink. Watch for me. " 

So Shrew went, and came to a Town of Men; and found 
that the people had all emigrated from that town. Yet, he 
went on, and on, seeking for fire; and for a long time found 
none. But, as he continued moving forward from house to 
house, he at last found a very little fire on a hearth. He 
began blowing it; and kept on blowing, and blowing; for, 
the fire did not soon ignite into a flame. He continued so 
long at this that his mouth extended forward permanently, 
with the blowing. 

Then he went back, and found Lemur faithfully watching 
with his eyes standing very wide open. Shrew asked him, 
"What has made your eyes so big?" In return, Lemur 
asked him, "What has so lengthened your mouth to a snout?" 



TALE 4 

Parrot Standing on One Leg 

Persons 

Njaku (Elephant) Koho (Parrot) 

Iwedo (Death) 

NOTE 

In former times, in the days of Witchcraft, it was the 
custom not to bury a corpse until the question was settled 
who or what had caused the death. This investigation 
sometimes occupied several days; during which time decom- 
position was hindered by the application of salt, and even 
by drying the remains in the smoke of a fire. 



Elephant built his own town; and Parrot built also his. 

Then the children of Parrot went a-hunting every day; 
and when they came back, the town had wild meat in abund- 
ance, hida ! hida ! 



236 WHERE ANIMALS TALK 

One day Elephant announced, "I must go on an excursion 
to the town of Chum Koho." He arrived there and found 
him, with that fashion of his, of standing with one leg bent 
up under his feathers hidden. His friend Elephant asked 
him, " Chum ! what have you done to your leg? " He answer- 
ed him (falsely), "My children have gone with it a-hunting. " 
Elephant being astonished said, "On your oath?" He 
replied, "Truly!" 

Then Elephant said, "I came to see you, only to see. I'm 
going back." The other said, "Yes; very good." 

Elephant returned to his town, and said to his children, 
"Arrange the nets today; tomorrow for a hunt!" 

The next day, the children made ready. And he, ashamed 
that a small Bird should do a greater act than himself said, 
"Take ye a saw, and cut off my leg." His children did not 
hesitate at his command, as they were accustomed to implicit 
obedience. So, they cut it off; and they carried with them, 
as he directed, the leg, on their hunt. 

When they were gone, to their father Elephant came 
Death, saying, "I have arrived!" People of the town cried 
for help, "Come ye! Njaku is not well!" But, the children 
were beyond hearing, being still away at the hunt. During 
their absence. Elephant died. When they arrived, they 
found their father a corpse. 

People wondered, saying, "What is this? Since we were 
born, we have not heard this, that hunting is carried on with 
the legs of one who remains behind in the town." When 
others, coming to the funeral, from other towns, asked the 
children, "Who was the person who counseled you such 
advice as that?" they said, "Himself it was who told us; he 
said to us *Cut;' So we cut." 

Then, on farther investigation, the people said, "The 
blame belongs to Koho," so, they called Parrot to account. 
But, Parrot said, "It is not mine. I did not tell him to cut 
off his leg. " So, the charge was dismissed. And the burial 
proceeded. 



WHERE ANIMALS TALK 237 

TALE 5 

A Question of Right of Inheritance 

Persons 

Utati-Mboka (A Sparrow) Koho (Parrot) 

A Man 

note 

Sparrow based his claim on the grounds of companionship, 
and community of interests. 

Parrot's claim is based on a very common line of argu- 
ment in native disputes not only about property, but in all 
questions of liabiHty. 



Parrot and Sparrow argued about their right to inherit 
the property that a Man had left. 

The Sparrow said, "The Man and I lived all our days in 
the same town. If he moved, I also moved. Our interests 
were similar. At whatever place he went to live, there also 
I stood in the street." 

The Parrot spoke, and based his claim on the ground that 
he was the original cause of the Man's wealth. He said, 
"I was born in the tree-tops; then the Man came and took 
me, to live with him. 

When my tail began to grow, he and his people took my 
feathers; 

With which they made a handsome head-dress; 

Which they sold for very many goods; 

With which they bought a wife; 

And that woman bore daughters; 

Who, for much money, were sold into marriages; 

And their children also bore other children; 

Wherefore, for that reason, it is that I say that I caused 
for them all these women, and was the foundation of all this 
wealth." 

This was what Parrot declared. 



238 WHERE ANIMALS TALK 

So, the people decided, "Koho is the source of those 
things. " And he was allowed to inherit. 



TALE 6 

Tortoise Covers His Ignorance 

Persons 

Kudu (Tortoise) Nj^ (Leopard) 

IheH (Gazelle) A Vine 

note 

It is customary for men to do some service for their fathers 
and mothers-in-law. 



Tortoise arose and went to the town of his father-in-law 
Leopard. Leopard sent him on an errand, saying, "Go, 
and cut for me utamba-mwa-Ivata. " (The fiber of a vine 
is used for making nets.) 

Then he went. But, while he still remembered the object, 
he forgot the name of the kind of Vine that was used for that 
purpose. And he was ashamed to confess his ignorance. 
So, he came back to call the people of the town, and said, 
*' Come ye and help me! I have enclosed Iheli in a thicket. '* 

The people came, and at once they made a circle around 
the spot. But when they closed in, they saw no beasts 
there. 

Then Tortoise called out, "Let someone of you cut for 
me, utamba-mwa-Ivata." (As if that was the only thing 
needed to catch the animal which he had said was there.) 

Thereupon, his brother-in-law cut for him a vine which 
he brought to him, saying, "Here is an Ihenga vine which 
we use for making nets." Whereupon Tortoise exclaimed, 
"Is it possible that it was the Ihenga vine that I mistook?" 



WHERE ANIMALS TALK 239 

TALE 7 
A Question as to Age 
Persons 
Asanze (A Shrike) Kudu (Tortoise) 



( Njaba (Civet) 



And other Animals ■{ Uhingi (Genet) 
(.Edubu (Snake) 



NOTE 

Differences in age as revealed by differences in taste for 
food. 



Shrike was a blacksmith. So, all the Beasts went to the 
forge at his town. Each day, when they had finished at the 
anvil, they took all their tools and laid them on the ground 
(as pledges). Before they should go back to their towns, 
they would say to the Bird, "Show us which is the eldest, 
and then you give us the things, if you are able to decide 
our question." 

He looked at and examined them; but he did not know, 
for they were all apparently of the same age; and they went 
away empty-handed, leaving their tools as a challenge. 
Every day it was that same way. 

On another day. Tortoise being a friend ox the Birdv 
started to go to work for him at the bellows. Also, he cooked 
three bundles of food; one of Civet with the entrails of a red 
Antelope; and one of Genet; and one of an Edubu-Snake. 
(Suited for different tastes and ages.) Then he blew at the 
bellows. 

When the others were hungry at meal time. Tortoise took 
up the jomba-bundles; and he said, "Come ye! take up this 
jomba of Njaba with the entrails, and eat." (They were 
the old ones who chose to come and eat it.) 

Again Tortoise said, "Come ye! take up the jomba of 



240 WHERE ANIMALS TALK 

Uhingi. " (They were the younger men who chose to pick 
it up and eat it.) 

He then took up the jomba of the Snake. And he said, 
"Come ye! and take of the jomba of Edubu." (Those who 
took it were the youngest.) 

After awhile they all finished their work at the bellows. 
They still left their tools lying on the ground, and came 
near to the Bird, and they said, as on other occasions, "Show 
us who is the eldest. " 

Then Tortoise at the request of the Bird, announced the 
decision, as if it was its own, "Ye who ate of the Njaba are 
the ones who are oldest; ye who ate of Uhingi are the ones 
who are younger men; and ye who ate of the Edubu are the 
ones who are the youngest. " 

So, they assented to the decision, and took away their 
belongings. 



TALE 8 

Abundance: A Play on the Meaning of a Word 

Persons 

A Hunter; Man Bwinge (Abundance, or 

Mbindi (Wild Goat) " More ") 

A Dwarf, with Magic-Power Ngweya (Hog) 
Ungumba (Riches) 

NOTE 

The Man's patience finally brought to him the Plenty 
which was promised him. 

"Bwinge" might be the name of a person or of a thing; 
or, it could be the "abundance" for which the hunter hoped. 



There was a certain Man who was very poor; he had no 
goods with which to buy a wife. He went one day into the 



WHERE ANIMALS TALK 241 

forest to set snares. On the morrow, he went off to examine 
them; and found a Wild-Goat caught in the snares. He 
rejoiced and said, "I must eat Mbindi today!" 

But the Wild-Goat said to that Man, "Let me alone, 
Bwinge is coming after awhile. " 

So, the Man, thinking that "Bwinge" was the name of 
some other and more desirable animal, at once let the Wild- 
Goat loose, and went off to his town. On the next day, the 
Man went to examine the snare, to see whether Bwinge was 
there, and found Hog caught fast in the net. And he ex- 
claimed, "I must eat Ngweya today!" 

But the Hog said, "Let me go. Bwinge is coming." 
The man at once left the Hog, (still thinking that many more 
were coming) ; and it went away. 

The Man wondered, and said to himself, "What Thing is it 
that is named 'Bwinge'?" 

On another day, he went to set his snare. He found 
there a dwarf child of a Human Being; and, in anger, he 
said, "You are the one who has caused me to send away the 
beasts? Is it possible that you are he who is 'Bwinge'? 
I shall kill you." But the dwarf said, "No! don't kill me. 
I will call Ungumba for you." So, the Man said, "Call in 
a hurry!" 

The Dwarf ordered, "Let guns come!" And they at 
once came. (This was done by the Dwarf's Magic-Power.) 
The Man again said, " Call, in a hurry ! " The Dwarf called 
for women; and they came. The Man again said to him, 
"Call for Goats, in a hurry!" And they came, with abund- 
ance of other things. 

Then the Man freed him, and said to him, " Go ! " 

The Man also went his way with his riches. And he 
became a great man. This was because of his patient 
waiting. 



242 WHERE ANIMALS TALK 

TALE 9 

An Oath, With a Mental Reservation 

Persons 

Ibembe (Dove) Nje (Leopard) 

Ngando (Crocodile) 

note 

Covenants among natives are made under oath, by the 
two parties eating together of some fetish-mixture, called a 
"Medicine"; which, being connected with some Spirit, is 
supposed to be able to punish any infraction of the covenant. 

Because Dove "abused" Leopard, that is, deceived him, 
the dove no longer builds its nest on the ground, through 
fear of leopards. 



Dove was building in a tree-trunk by a river, because it 
preferred to walk on the ground. And Crocodile just then 
emerged from the river to the bank, and lay on his log where 
he usually rested. 

They two said, "Let us eat a Medicine-charm." 

So, Dove agreed, and swore, saying, "I say to you that, 
when anything at all shall happen openly, if I do not tell it 
to you, then may this Medicine find me out and kill me." 
Crocodile also uttered his oath, "When whatever thing shall 
come out from the river onto the ground, if I do not tell it 
to you, this Medicine must find me out and kill me!" 

When they had finished their Covenant, Crocodile returned 
to his hollow in the ground by the river. Dove also arose, 
and went away, walking to his place. Then he and Leopard 
suddenly met, on the path. 

Leopard asked, "Are you able to see Ngando for me? I 
want to eat it." Dove answered, "Ah! would that you and 
I were living in one place with an Agreement!" Leopard 
replied, "Come then! let us, I and you, eat a Medicine." 

So Leopard began. He said as his oath: "Anything at 



WHERE ANIMALS TALK 243 

all that shall come to my place where I dwell, if I be there, 
and it wants to get hold of you, if I tell it not to you, let 
this Medicine find and certainly kill me!" Dove also with 
his oath, said, "If I see Ngando, and I do not tell you, let 
this Medicine find me and certainly kill me!" 

So, they made their promise; then they separated; and 
each one went to his own village. 

Thus Dove and Leopard ate their kind of *' Medicine," 
after Dove and Crocodile had already eaten theirs. 

Then, one day. Crocodile came out from the river. Dove 
at once began to tell Leopard, saying, "He has emerged 
from the river and is about to settle on the log!" So, Leo- 
pard began slowly to come, and watching Crocodile, as he 
came. When he was near, in his advance. Dove spoke, 
telling Crocodile, and said, "Your watcher! Your watcher 
is coming! Do not apprach here!" 

Thereat, Crocodile slipped back into the water. 

The next time that Dove and Leopard met, Leopard 
demanded, "What is this you have done to me.^ You swore 
to me this: Tf I see Crocodile I will tell you; and you must 
come catch him. ' Now, as soon as you saw me, you turned 
around, and told Crocodile, 'Fall into the River!' You 
have mocked me!" 

And Leopard grew very angry. 



TALE 10 

The Treachery of Tortoise 

Persons 

Mbama (Boa Constrictor) Kudu (Tortoise) 

Nje (Leopard) 

NOTE 

Observe the cannibalism of the story. 



Leopard married a wife. After awhile she was about to 
become a mother. 



244 WHERE ANIMALS TALK 

Boa also married a wife; and, after awhile, she also, was 
about to become a mother. 

In a short time, like the drinking of a draught of water, 
the month passed, both for Leopard's wife and for Boa's 
wife also. Then Boa's wife said, "It is time for the birth!" 
So she gave birth to a child. And she lay down on her 
mother's bed. When they were about to cook food for her, 
she said, "I want to eat nothing but Nje!" 

The next day, the wife of Leopard said, "It is time for the 
birth!" And she also gave birth to a child. Food was 
given to her. But she said, "I am wanting only Mbama!" 

When told of his wife's wish. Boa said, "What shall I do? 
Where shall I go.? Where shall I find Mangwata?" (A 
nickname for Leopard.) Also, Leopard said, in regard to 
his wife's wish, "Where shall I find Mbama.?" Then Leo- 
pard went walking, on and on, and looking. He met with 
Manima-ma-Evosolo (a nickname for Tortoise). Leopard 
asked him, "Can you catch me Mbama?" Manima said, 
"What's that?" And he laughed, Kye! Kye! Kye; and 
said, "That is as easy as play." Leopard said, "Chum, 
please do such a thing for me." And Tortoise said, "Very 
good!" 

When they separated, and Tortoise was about to go a 
little further on ahead, at once he met with Boa. And Boa 
asked him, "Chum! Manima-ma-Evosolo! Where have you 
come from?" Tortoise answered, "I have come, going on 
an excursion." Boa asked to Tortoise, "But, could you 
catch me Nje? " He replied, "That is a little thing. " Then 
Boa begged him, "Please, since my wife has born a child, 
she has not eaten anything. She says she wants to eat only 
Nje." 

Tortoise returned back at once to his village. He called 
to the people of his village, saying, "Come ye! to make for 
me a pit." They at once went, and dug a pit. When they 
had finished it, Tortoise went to Leopard, and said to him, 
"Come on!" 

Leopard at once started on the journey (thinking he was 
going to get Boa). When they came to the place of the pit. 
Leopard fell suddenly into it headlong, volomu! He called 
to Tortoise, saying, "Chum! Where is Mbama?" (Leo- 
pard did not understand that he was being deceived.) 



WHERE ANIMALS TALK 245 

Tortoise did not reply, but started off clear to the village 
of Boa. He said to Boa, "Come on!" Boa did not doubt 
at all that he was going to get Leopard. He started, and 
went with Tortoise towards the pit. When he was passing 
near the spot, Boa fell headlong into the pit, volumu! And 
Leopard exclaimed, "Ah! now, what is this.^" 

Tortoise only said to them, "You yourselves can kill each 
other." 



TALE 11 

A Chain of Circumstances 

Persons 

Etanda (Cockroach) Uhingi (Genet) 

Kudu (Tortoise) Nje (Leopard) 

Kuba (Chicken) A Man 

NOTE 

A Cause, from which came the enmity between Leopards, 
and other wild animals, and Mankind. 

Observe the resemblance to "The House that Jack 
Built." 



Tortoise was a blacksmith, and allowed other people to 
use his bellows. Cockroach had a spear that was known of 
by all people and things. One day, he went to the smithy 
at the village of Tortoise. When he started to work the 
bellows, as he looked out in the street, he saw Chicken com- 
ing; and he said to Tortoise, "I'm afraid of Kuba, that he 
will catch me. What shall I do?" So Tortoise told him, 
"Go! and hide yourself off there in the grass." At once he 
hid himself. 

Then arrived Chicken, and he, observing a spear lying 
on the ground, asked Tortoise, "Is not this Etanda's Spear?" 



246 WHERE ANIMALS TALK 

Tortoise assented, "Yes, do you want him?" And Chicken 
said, "Yes, where is he?" So Tortoise said, "He hid him- 
self in the grass on the ground yonder; catch him." Then 
Chicken went and caught Cockroach, and swallowed him. 

When Chicken was about to go away to return to his 
place. Tortoise said to him, "Come back! work for me this 
fine bellows!" As Chicken, willing to return a favor, was 
about to stand at it, he looked around and saw Genet com- 
ing in the street. Chicken said to Tortoise, "Alas! I'm 
afraid that Uhingi will see me, where shall I go?" So, 
Tortoise says, "Go! and hide!" Chicken did so. When 
Genet came, he, seeing the spear, asked, "Is it not so that 
this is Etanda's Spear?" Tortoise replied, "Yes." Genet 
asked him, "Where is Etanda?" He replied, "Chicken 
has swallowed him." Genet inquired, "And where is 
Chicken?" Tortoise showed him the place where Chicken 
was hidden. And Genet went and caught and ate Chicken. 

When Genet was about to go. Tortoise called to him, "No! 
come! to work this fine bellows." Genet set to work; but, 
when he looked into the street, he hesitated; for, he saw 
Leopard coming. Genet said to Tortoise, "I must go, 
lest Nje should see me!" Then Tortoise said, "Go! and 
hide in the grass." So, Genet hid himself in the grass. 

Leopard, having arrived and wondering about the Spear, 
asked Tortoise, " Is it not so that this is the Spear of Etanda?" 
Tortoise answered, "Yes." Then Leopard asked, "Where 
is Etanda?" Tortoise replied, "Kuba has swallowed him." 
"And, where is Kuba?" Tortoise answered, "Uhingi has 
eaten him. " Then Leopard asked, " Where then is Uhingi? " 
Tortoise asked, "Do you want him? Go and catch him! 
He is hidden yonder there." Then Leopard caught and 
killed Genet. 

Leopard was going away, but Tortoise told him, "Wait! 
come! to work this fine bellows. " When Leopard was about 
to comply, he looked around the street, and he saw a Human 
Being coming with a gun carried on his shoulder. Leopard 
exclaimed, " Kudu-0 ! I do not want to see a Man, let me go ! " 
Then Tortoise said to him, " Go ! and hide. " Leopard did so. 

When the Man had come, and he saw the Spear of Cock- 
roach, he inquired, "Is it not so that this is Cockroach's 
wonderful Spear?" Tortoise answered, "Yes." 



WHERE ANIMALS TALK 247 

And the Man asked, "Where then is Cockroach?" Tor- 
toise answered, "Kuba has swallowed him." 

Man asked, "And where is Chicken? " Tortoise answered, 
"Uhingi has eaten him." 

Man asked, "And where is Genet?" Tortoise answered, 
"Nje has killed him." 

Man asked, "And where is Leopard?" Tortoise did not 
at once reply; and Man asked again, "Where is Leopard?" 
The Tortoise said, "Do you want him? Go! and catch him. 
He had hidden himself over there." 

Then the Man went and shot Leopard, 

Who had killed Genet, 

Who had eaten Chicken, 

Who had swallowed Cockroach, 

Who owned the wonderful Spear, 

At the smithy of Tortoise. 



248 



INDEX 






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250 



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FEB 19 1912 



f7< ^co 



One copy del. to Cat. Div. 



FEB 20 ^^'^ 



LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 



029 714 076 



